Andy Caldwell Interview with Deep House Network

Andy Caldwell Interview

DHN: Which people have influenced you the most both musically and personally?

AC: I was a 70's kid living in Mexico so when my family moved to Santa Cruz, CA in 79' I was immediately turned on by what I heard on the radio and what all my friends at school were listening to. I'd have to say that 80's pop culture as a whole, had a tremendous influence on me. As silly as it might sound, I still find myself taping my foot to early Madonna and Michael Jackson cuts! Musically though, I've been influenced by everyone from Reggae greats like Peter Tosh, Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff to soul and r&b singers like Michael Jackson, Al Green, Sade, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan the list goes on. I'm also very into bands like Depeche Mode, Nirvana, Coldplay, The Cars, Police, Kraftwerk, Yellow etc...

DHN: Which producers do you most admire / respect both contemporary and otherwise?

AC: I love Quincy Jones, the man is god in my book. As for Dance producers, Martin Solveig, Trent Moller, Kaskade, Jay-J, Gabriel Rene the list goes on...

How much importance do you place on the opinions of fellow producers and / or journalists? Does this influence you creatively?

I'm fairly influenced by my producer friends. They usually give me quality feedback, no fluff. I don't pay too much attention to the press, one minute they love you, the next minute your dog food.

DHN: Which labels do you consistently look out for?

AC: I'm not really a label-orientated person. I usually look for artists and producers whom I know can consistently push the envelope.

DHN: What do you think of the worldwide deep house scene as it is today? Are there any hotspots that you love to play?

AC: It's pretty healthy. A few years ago it was tough to play deep house to large crowds, they didn't really get it, but I think as people seek more out of the music they listen to, they tend to begin to appreciate the deeper sounds. One thing that has been frustrating for me is knowing what to play, where. What might work for one crowd won't work for the other. As for hotspots, Spain, Australia, Latin America and the UK seem to be bumpin' right now.

DHN: You have your second mix album out soon for the Inspirit Music label. How did you choose the tracklisting for InHouse Perspective 02 and how did you first become involved with the label?

AC: Well, I produced as many new and original tracks as I could for the release, then I assembled my favorite tracks from the past year and put them together with my own material. It was a laborious task. It's easier said than done to put a mix CD together, you have to clear the license, make sure it works in the mix and then choose just the right tracks. I spent a lot of time working on this mix cd, I really hope people like it. In terms of how we hooked up - it was through Ryan Raddon (Kaskade). He was licensing a track from Inspirit for an Om lounge compilation and he told me he had been commissioned to do a remix for the label. It sounded like they had a good foundation for a label so I asked to be introduced. One thing led to another and now we have a very solid relationship.

DHN: Do you have plans to release an artist album at any point?

AC: I do, 2004 is going to see the release of my first artist album. I'm going to take tracks that I've already produced, remix them and add some new material to it. It will feature vocalists Lisa Shaw, Omega, Gina Rene, Latrice Barnett and others. I'm planning on releasing the album through Inspirit Music.

DHN: If possible what would you say is the common thread throughout your productions?

AC: HA! That's a tough one, I'd have to say that I always include a solid groove with plenty of musicality and strong vocals.

DHN: What do you enjoy most DJ ing or producing? And why?

AC: I think I like both about the same. I couldn't just do one or the other. To me it's very rewarding to be able to play my own tracks during my DJ sets. I love being in the studio, writing, producing etc. But the real reward comes from performing your music to a live audience. It's really that cycle, the feedback that I enjoy most of all.

DHN: When you do play out, what styles can we expect to hear?

AC: You never know! I have a hard time playing the same style every time. I like to mix it up a lot and play music from different sorts of generes within the house music umbrella. I'm not one to only play "deephouse" or "electro." I'm more the type who mixes everything together, more of an old school dj really.

DHN: Can you tell us about a particular favourite gig of yours?

AC: I played a gig with Ryan Raddon (Kaskade) last year in Cork, Ireland that was incredible. We flew in for a Sunday night to play the Half Moon Theater, it was cold and rainy and we got stuck in traffic on our way to the hotel. I wasn't expecting much from the gig and I was pretty tired from a long weekend of gigs and travel. But that night ended up being one of the best and most memorable of the year for me. The crowd was crazy, the music was on point and I even got into it with the bouncer when he forced me to stop playing!

DHN: Do you have plans to Tour this year?

AC: I do, I've got every weekend booked through the end of April already, it's looking to be the busiest year to date for me. I'd like to try and slow down a little, but I don't think my fans are going to let me.

DHN: What plans do you have for Miami this year?

AC: I'm launching a label called UNO and I'm putting together a launch party there. I'll be playing along with the Soulstice Crew, Migs, and Kaskade.

DHN: You were an integral member of the band Soulstice. Is there more Soulstice material planned for the future?

AC: Actually yes, we are planning to release our second album on my new label Uno later this year. It's a bit different than our last outing, we've tapped into more of the electro sound and fused that with our solid, soulful base that we are known for.

DHN: Describe the process of working with other Soulstice members...

AC: We are like family. We've all known each other for many years so we're very comfortable working together in the studio. It's great to be able to bounce ideas off each other. Usually if we can all agree on something it's probably pretty tight.

DHN: There seems to be a trend towards live dance music acts of late. What do Soulstice offer their audiences that set them apart from other live acts?

AC: Talent! Gina Rene, our lead singer is one of the most talented artists I know. She can sing, write and perform. She's got it all. We back her up with keyboards and beats, it's really funky. We don't just hide behind a rack of synthesizer's, there's a real interaction with the audience.

How do you see the deep house scene developing over the next few years?

AC: It's probably going to continue to grow and reach more people. However, it needs to evolve. There are just too many producers and dj's out there producing and playing the same stuff that we did 3-4 years ago! My problem with the deep house scene is that people many of the fans don't really have an open mind to music. So for the genre to succeed and progress, there needs to be some change.

DHN: What forthcoming productions should we look out for from Andy Caldwell?

AC: I have a new single coming out on Naked Music in January called "Give a Little" featuring the vocals of Latrice Barnett, also a single coming in February on Inspirit titled "Pushin" featuring Omega. There are a couple of remixes dropping as well on my new label Uno, one of which is the Mei-Lwun single "Too Late" featuring Gina Rene.

DHN: Tell us something about Andy Caldwell that we don't or shouldn't know!

AC: My right leg is a centimeter longer than my left.

Interview by Deep House Network

MUSIC2 Interview with Andy Caldwell

An Interview with Andy Caldwell, who's single "Funk Nasty" with Mr. V is out now!


Good day chap, I trust you’re well?

I'm doing quite well, thanks! I'm on my way to the store to pick up some toothpaste and dish gloves. But the weather is fine and it's nice to be out of the house!


Your single, "It's Guud" has just been released, what can we expect from it?

Right, back to the music! Well Its definitely not what you or I would expect from the Caldwell camp. Gritty minimal tech house infused with a dirty and sexually suggestive vocal, this is uncharted territory for me... But it's sooo much more fun that way.


The remixes from Tim Weeks, Bale & Voltaire and Matteo Di Marr are fairly contrasting pieces, and complement the original in very different ways. Was this planned in the choosing of mixers, or are you just fans of theirs?

I just wanted to cover all bases with the remix package. I knew the original wouldn't suit everyone so I wanted to create an opportunity to have the essence and vibe preserved in various different formats. I'm consequently very pleased with the result!


How did the collaboration between the two of you come about?

First off, I've been a huge admirer of mr v for quite some time and have played a bunch of his work in my sets over the years. So when I first met him I was really impressed at what a mellow and laid back person he was. Mind you I met him at wmc right before my set at Nocturnal and I still got this great vibe off him. He went on to informally MC the night and his vocals really took everything to the next level. After the show he told me to send him some tracks that he could rhyme over. I just happened to have the instrumental with Michelles vocals which I sent him straight away! The rest is history I guess! LOL


Are their plans to work together again in the near future?

Absolutely! I've promised him a track for his upcoming album release and I'd love to do some more live shows with him as well... I'm sure we will have plenty of opportunities for that in the near future;)


Andy, this is a strong single and, as such, a good release for Uno recordings and yourself. What brought about the starting of your own label?

Well, thank you for that! I started the label five years ago out of a desire to have an outlet for my creative little side projects and also as an avenue to release music that I my friends created. I really wanted to build a sort of extended family of artists. To some degree that has been successful although with everyones busy schedules it's sometimes difficult to achieve! We released a track from my good friend Ryan Yoshimoto back in 2004 with an absolutley smashing remix by Trentemoller. The single went on to sell well over 100,000 copies and was licensed to dozens of comps. I kind of went quiet after that and didn't release anything until 2007. Anyway, we are back after a relaunch in 2008 and are coming up on the 10th release this summer!


And, what do you have lined up for the label in the coming months?

Well, a fresh remix package of "Funk Nasty" with mixed by Hidden Cat and Youth Attack as well as a new single off my forth coming album titled "Obesession". The single is called Black Diamond Sky and we've got Morgan Page, Alex Kenji and Grey Area turning in some HOT mixes!


Are their any plans in the pipeline to maybe tour with a live show, given the collaborations on new material?

I've always been a big fan of touring with friends and performing with amazing and talented people, it's something that can really take a club night to the next level! My forthcoming tour will be no exception to that rule!