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Future shock
Despite having dads of a rockier persuasion, the FUTURE ENGINEERS have turned their ears to drum 'n' bass.
Words: Rory Weller
‘lt was pretty obvious we were going to end tip doing something like this.‘ says Keir (‘leminson of Glasgow- based drum ‘n‘ bass DJ/production duo the Future Engineers. His partner Lee Batchelor chips in: ‘Our dads were in bands and it was just a fact of life that we hung around studios and gigs from an early age.‘
The pair aren‘t overly keen to tell us exactly which bands they were. knowing fine well that Daft Punk can‘t get through an interview without the ()ttowan connection cropping tip. or how hard Adam l" has tried to play down the fact that his dad is Alvin Stardust. ‘We get it bad enough off our mates. so we don‘t want anyone else coming tip and going on about it.’ moans Batchelor.
This is fine with us (but think Alex Harvey as a reference point). Batchelor and (‘leminson. 22 and 21 respectively. have proved themselves already. despite only bringing out their first track (‘Silence‘ on Renegade) in November of last year. Since then they’ve recorded for LT] Bukem’s Good Looking Records. had the honour of being the first to release on Partisan recordings. and are working with Glasgow‘s Temple Music alongside KM(‘. and Scarlet Lake.
The two of them have known each other since they were born. growing tip in north London together. where their Scottish parents had settled. They used to muck around with drum machines as kids. knocking otit electro beats. and later got their heads round using samplers. In spite of ‘going completely in the wrong direction' into what their dads were into. they came back from the brink when they got into dance and started going to raves. They preferred the breaks used in the music and it was a natural evolution for them to embrace the emergence of drum ‘n‘ bass out ofjungle.
Their families moved back to Glasgow and the two of them spent a couple of years in their bedrooms learning how to make tunes before sending out demos and immediately finding success for their ltish. deeply musical sound. (‘leminson and Batchelor don't regard living in Scotland as any hindrance to their production careers. and consider their
‘People in Scotland are so fickle. Unless you're plastered across the cover of Mixmag, they're not going to come and see you.’ Keir Cleminson
association with Temple Music as a chance to let
people know that drum ‘n' bass does exist in Scotland.
‘Temple have a really good attitude and they understand the situation.’ says Batchelor. ‘They get your music otit in a month rather than six months later. And you don‘t have to travel all the way down to London to shout at people.‘
As far as their DJing goes. they find the size of the scene in Scotland is still too restrictive. ‘We DJ around the place. but people in Scotland are so fickle.‘ says Batchelor. ‘l'nless you‘re plastered across the cover of Milt/nag. they're not going to come and see you.‘ adds Cleminson.
With people like Bukem. Blame. Blue Mar Ten and even Josh Wink playing their records. when you hear the duo themselves. many of the records they 're spinning are the ones that these name guys will be caning many months down the line. lingineers of the future'.’ Quite possibly.
Future Engineers DJ at The Edinburgh International Club Festival, Teviot Row on Sun 16 Aug. 'Fragments' (Temple Records) and 'Close Circuit' (Partisan) will be released in September.
CLUBS
Club news
The dancefloor buzz from the wild west.
KING CITY LEISURE - the company behind Archaos, Babaza, Polo Lounge and Nico’s - are about to open a brand new club in the city centre. We're not allowed to say where it is yet, but it’s going to be called Yang. The three- room club, which is due to open at the end of August, will have an underground music policy: think hip hop, big beat and the like.
GOT A BIT of cash to spare? The old Reds site is up for grabs to the highest bidder (and word is it's going to be a pretty high bid), so if you've got the money you could do a lot worse than investing in a club. Think of the perks: nude lock-ins when you fancy, be Mr Big at the end of the bar or spend the night in the back room counting your money. A few years ago a bunch of Aberdonians won the lottery and opened a place called Eskobar. Who knows, it could be you.
MEANWHILE, DOWN IN Shawlands. the old Marlborough club is opening as a new 900-capacity club called The Shed. The place will be managed by Stevie Falconer, the ex-manager of Reds, and aims to be a city centre club in the south side. The club will be on two levels and sees the return of Dave Ross’s legendary Crash night. Date for opening is set for Wed 26 Aug. Look out too for the site of The Basement becoming Planet Peach on Queen Street, looking to attract a Babaza/Reds market when it opens on Wed 2 Sep.
THE GARAGE ON Sauchiehall Street is expanding downwards, extending into the Venue to become G2, for a more leftfield, art school business. Have we reached the carrying capacity for the city? Another two clubs are currently in development and the question has to be, are there enough clubbers in Glasgow to keep all the venues open? Something has got to give.
AFTER DISMAL WEATHER raining out Rub-a-Dub's 'Free In The Park' last month, the event has been resched- uled for Sun 30 Aug, pending drinks license and glorious sunshine. Line-up and venue (Glasgow‘s Kelvingrove Park) are as before, with Andrew Weatherall and Plaid playing live.
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13—20 Aug 1998 THE usr 116