AEPH INTERVIEW

Questions By: PSYDiPHECTs

EverydayJunglist: Tell us a little about yourself.

Aeph: My name is Simone, I'm from Rome, I'm 25, i moved to london 2 years ago, I'm a full time producer and a part time waiter. I live in a beautiful flat with my girlfriend in Stratford area with my own studio inside the garage (its fuckin cold down there).

EverydayJunglist: Does Aeph stand for anything? How did you come up with this name?

Aeph: It doesent have any meaning, i was looking for a name and i chose the 4 letters i do love more and...there we go!

EverydayJunglist: What inspired you to produce DnB? When did you start?

Aeph: I started to produce music at the age of 16, most of my tracks were rap beats and electro old skool tracks, but i allways kept an eye on the drum&bass world. Then in 2003 I started to make my own dnb tracks influenced by all the big names i usually listen to (bad company, dillinja, ed rush and optical, roni size) and by all the newcomers producers in that moment (noisia, subfocus, spor, pendulum). At the very beginning it wasnt really simple cause in italy there werent too many producers and my english was crap so i litterally create my own tips from nothing (most of them with my big friend Maize).

EverydayJunglist: What do you produce with i.e. (hardware/software) and what VST's/Effects do you like to use? Any production tips for all of us producers?

Aeph: I create my beats with cubase 5 atm, i tryed different software years ago like acid, protools and reason but with cubase i found what i was looking for. To be honest i lost at least 2 years of my life trying to make a decent track with protools LE but it was def a bad idea..I'd like to try to make something with Fruity Loops cause everything i heard come out from that software looks like fat and clean..i'd like to understand if is because of the software or because all the newcomers are fuckin genius. If the answer is the second one, i want to know what they are eating for breakfast. About vsts...well i think all the dnb producers are actually making beats with the same vsts like camel, psp nitro, sonnox plugs, waves, t racks, albino, massive...but if u want to make your own sound its not important what kind of vst u are using but the way you are using it. For example, i think the L2 from Waves is really good as limiter but it can warm your sound too if u set the relelase and threshold at maximum...maybe adding a reverb before it. About drums i can tell u that the nu dynamic vsts from steinberg in cubase 5 are fuckin awesome...i could have sex with the new transient shaper.

EverydayJunglist: How long does it usually take to complete a track?

Aeph: If is a good track i can build the main idea in about 6 days but if its really good i spend at least 2 month to finish that. Sometimes you are really happy about the mixdown and the day after u just want to throw everything away.

EverydayJunglist: First off this was a hard decision because i love all your tunes. The track "Andante Violento" is one of my faviortes. How did this track come together?

Aeph: That one is the first "serious" track i made...i had a cd with all italian b movies soundtracks from the 70's and i found that sample. We use to have great composers in Italy like Stelvio Cipriani, Franco Micalizzi...but thank god we still have Ennio Morricone. Anyway, i've got a VIP from that track...still a work in progress for months!

EverydayJunglist: When you colab. with someone how does this process work? Per se with someone out of country.

Aeph: Usually i like to collab with people who know what they are doing and expecially with people with a sound that i really like. When i collab with Maztek everything was really simple cause i was sure that I would enjoy everything he would make from the files i sent to him and vice versa, but mainly i do love to produce music just by myself.

EverydayJunglist: Whats it like to work with Maize? How did you meet? Any future colabs with?

Aeph: Roberto(Maize) is a big friend of mine, it was the first italian producer I met in Rome and we litterally spent hours toghether just making a snare! He was really helpful for me and i will allways be grateful with him. Its always a good thing to have someone really close to you to match against, confronting and learning from each other. Atm he's really busy with his graphic works..included my new myspace webpage. Seriously, I think he is one of the best graphic designers in the world.

EverydayJunglist: Is there anyone in particular you'd like to work with? Any particular remix you'd like to do?

Aeph: There are plenty of producers i would like to work with but i can tell u that i've got some collabs with some nice producers coming out and I hope u will enjoy them. My best wish is remix a track from Sebastian, I do love his stuff, he inspire me a lot since the first day i heard a track from him.

EverydayJunglist: Who were your biggest influences when you started in the Dnb Scene?

Aeph: Dillinja was a big influence when i started and i'm still in love with his stuff, But i cannot forget the first time i heard Masochist from Pendulum..that tune literally smashed my brain.

EverydayJunglist: Two years ago did you see yourself where you are now?

Aeph: To be honest with you yes but i'm still not happy about my career. I've got other plans for that and i hope i will achieve these, I just need to work harder and improve my skills everyday. I'm an obstinate guy so....

EverydayJunglist: How is the scene were you are from?

Aeph: Rome is a big capital, when i started to follow dnb gigs in 2001 we use to have nice parties there with big famous djs like Storm, J Majik, Goldie, Roni Size...then everything stopped because some of the best dnb "clubs" were closed and people started to look on drum & bass like a music genre for crusty junkie ravers..nice girls litterally run away and u know..no nice girl, no nice place, no party. Then in 2004 some crews like Romastyle and Bluecheese started to present again dnb gigs in clubs with big names and they built again a new movement. Atm the scene is quite healthy but people still prefere to listen to the same big names than try to experience some new vibes. Subculture Nights in Rome are def the new vibes we were looking for, Maztek is doing a great job down there. Same for the Get Numb festivals..the last one they organized with me, Noisia, Benga and Plaid was fuckin wicked! If some of the readers are going to spend the NYE in Rome I can recommend the Big Bang Club..opening and closing a big massive b2b with Myself, Maztek, Noxius and Dabs...special guest from UK Optiv C4C and Vicius Circle. I bet it's gonna be huge.

EverydayJunglist: Which came first mixing or producing?

Aeph: Both together at the same time..is really important to clean and cut each single element perfectly before keeping on with other elements.

EverydayJunglist: What are your weapons of choice when djing turntables,cds,computer?

Aeph: Atm i'm with Cds cause is the kind of support i will find in every club, festival, house. I dont like to mix with "laptops" cause i dont like to see the track i chose allreay beatmatched...I dont think is really funny for a Dj isnt it?

EverydayJunglist: What are some tracks that you always bring with you when you play out?

Aeph: Absolute Zero & Subphonics "The Code" (Skc Rmx), Noisia & Phace "Thrillseekers", Ed Rush and Optical "Bacteria" (Pendulum rmx), Spor "Powder Monkey", Dillinja "Go Dillinja", Hive "Neo 2008".

EverydayJunglist: What was it like to get your first release on viynl?

Aeph: When it came out I didn't like that track anymore and actually...i don't have it! BTW if someone has an extra copy of "Dogsick" it would be a pleasure to buy it!

EverydayJunglist: Do you still play vinyl? What do you think digital is doing to viynl?

Aeph: I'm not playing vinyl ATM cause most of tracks i usually play are dubplates and i'm not andy c...About the digital business i think everything is going to a normal direction, is all about evolution. I always look for vinyl release's of course but i don't refuse a mp3 release cause the 80% of people are listening music with an ipod so there's no point to complain. Doesn't matter the support, making a good track is the most important step.

EverydayJunglist: Do you see yourselve in the states anytime soon?

Aeph: I really would like to man and actually i'm planning to move in the states for some months but i still don't know when so...see you soon.

EverydayJunglist: What should we expect in 2010?

Aeph: Looking forward for the new Calyx and Teebee album, same for Noisia and Spor. About me and all the italian producers, i hope we will make some quality tunes and get big releases and gigs, expecially for Maztek, Hallucinator, and Dabs, they really deserve it. Big Up for my mate HLZ who's producing so many awesome tracks...he's my name for 2010.

EverydayJunglist: Do you have any shoutouts?

Aeph: Big shouts to all my italian friends who support me everyday: InColdBlood (best italian metalHC band), Dabs, Maize, Maztek, HLZ (puccio cannot wait anymore) Noxius, DJamma, Arp XP, Maurs, Hallucinator, Sochopatix crew, Trab, Modulate rec, Flavour & Benedikttt (my "sore"), Bianca and all the junglist/junglette i met in the last 3 years. Big shouts also to my best mates here in london Nick and Reanix. Last but not least my girlfriend Luisa..she supports and tolerates me everyday of our life.

EverydayJunglist: And last but not least is there anything else you would like to add?

Aeph: Be original and do what u really want to do in your life, no matter what the people say. Sometimes you take it for granted but is not.