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Diesler Self-confessed tea and biscuits addict Jonathan Radford has come a long way since his first release under his Diesler moniker, Cotton Wool. The track featured on Brighton-based imprint Tru Thoughts’ Shapes One compilation and later scored Radio One airplay. Gaining credence as a dancefloor jazz genius, this early success was followed with the Ladies and Gentlemen Start Your Engines Please EP in 2004, debut album Diggin’ It Something Rotten in 2005, and recent longplayer Keepie Uppies in April 2006. Add to this a remix list that reads like a who’s who of nu-jazz and a new fortnightly radio show, and we’re sure you’ll agree, Diesler is one to watch. Over a good old fashioned cuppa, we talk beats, bands and Burnley…
PIXELSURGEON: Tell us a little bit about recent album Keepie Uppies. There’s the feisty percussion we have become accustomed to but also more of a vocal feel to it – was this intentional?
Yeah, I’m a fan of conventional songs. I like making music with traditional structures and adding vocals was the next step. With instrumentals people can guess what mood or emotion you are trying to create with a song but with vocals you can make it clear what story you are trying to tell. If any.
Laura Vane is an emerging starlet who has contributed the vocals on lots of the tracks on Keepie Uppies. Did you seek her out yourself and will you be using her for future tracks?
Laura came to my attention when she sent a demo to Tru Thoughts after she saw a Quantic Soul Orchestra gig. Rob Luis (Tru Thoughts A&R man) was blown away by her voice and asked if she would be interested in collaborating with his artists. I seized the opportunity and we made Charmed and A Little Something which both appear on the LP. Laura has real talent and is a lovely down-to-earth person as well. I’m pretty sure we'll work together some more in the future.
When you start on a new track, what comes first? Melody, beats, vocals?
The groove comes first. Then a dollop of drums and a sprinkling of bass. Next up, a shake of percussion and five teaspoons of vocals. Then additional instruments – with constant stirring. Leave to simmer for 5 months on CDR then serve.
Well, that’s obviously a recipe for success, because Diesler remixes are pretty highly sought-after. What do you try to bring to a remix and how do you put the Diesler stamp on them without becoming formulaic?
Well it varies – it depends whether or not you get a brief with a remix. Some A&R people ask for a club mix and there are certain criteria that come with those. However, if I have a free range on a mix then I like to just re-record a song with my instrument-playing pals, flipping a song over style wise.
And do you play any instruments yourself? Recorder doesn’t count.
Oh, that's a shame because I could do a wicked rendition of Ode to Joy on the recorder when I was a nipper. I can't really play anything as such – keys a little bit but I’m no Elton John.
That’s a no bad thing. So what are your favourite instruments and bits of studio equipment? Do you incorporate these into your own production?
I do a lot of recording with Dave Lilley who does guitar, bass and backing vocals and Dan "The Burnley Horn" Smith. They have been pivotal in my progression from just sample-based artist to actually making fully written and realised songs. I usually use their kit to record and then I take it back to my bedroom to put it all together. I’m a bit like a musical squirrel in that respect.
Sounds like you’ve got some people onboard who could easily get it together to form a band. A lot of your peers at Tru Thoughts have embarked on the very same endeavor recently so is that something you might be doing in the future?
I had a go at it for a few months but there were more cons than pros with that band and I’m not much of a leader, which didn't help matters. Still, I never say never and would love to get a live act together again someday.
I guess you’ve got plenty to get on with in the meantime. I’ll come to the radio show in a moment, but I couldn’t help noticing that your first album Diggin’ It Something Rotten came out on April 25 2005 and Keepie Uppies hit the shelves on April 24 2006. Do we have to wait until the end of April 2007 for the next album?
Yeah, I am aiming for that date for the time being, but these things are never easy to guarantee. I have indeed started to work on the next record and style-wise it’ll take a progression of themes from the last album. As you can tell, I’m pretty secretive about these things.
Yeah, we thought as much. I mean, you’re almost always wearing a baseball cap. But that doesn’t matter when you’re on the radio so tell us a bit about the new show.
The In Sound From Way Out is a two hour, fortnightly show on Samurai.fm with tunes, chat, interviews, and guest mixes or sessions. My co-presenter is DJ Stan Lee, a radio production tutor at a local college. Bow to your Sensei!
Quite. Does the show reflect the things you might play in a DJ set or is it more of a back-to-mine thing?
It’s much more of a back-to-mine thing, yes. Stan and I actually sit around and listen to music and have a brew to prepare for the show. So it does have a little bit of "Have you heard this one mate? Oh and stick the kettle on will you?!" edge to it.
Staying on an internet-related tip then, you have a MySpace page. Has it proved useful?
Yeah, I mean I now have over 500 ‘friends’, in inverted commas, and lots of good things have come off the back of it. I admit, it is totally crazy but in the best possible way. Be my friend please.
Ok, we’ll be your friend if you can explain what you mean on your biog when you proclaim that you’re by no means a ‘trendy producer’.
I do my own wonky style of a genre of music but I like it. And I try to avoid telling anyone I meet that I make music at all costs or else you know where the conversation will go for the next half hour. "What do you make of Maxïmo Park...?" and so on. Euuurgh! Taxi please…
So you don’t like Maxïmo Park, we can understand that. But who are your favourite non-nu-jazz artist du jour?
That would have to be The Boats on Moteer records. It’s beautiful and gentle electronic music. Their third album is out soon.
At the moment, you’re based at home in Burnley. Any plans to move?
Not really. Communication is so great these days you don't have to be somewhere to be available for opportunities as they pop up. I live 30 minutes from Manchester and Leeds and an hour from Liverpool. Need I say more?
No. Besides, your DJing takes you all over the UK and to every corner of the globe. Where are your favourite places to play?
Abroad, I’d have to say Germany is a great because they love their hip-hop and funk out there. I did a Solid Steel in Edinburgh last year and I was only warming up for a band but it was rammed at 11.30pm and going mental. The Tru Thoughts nights in Brighton, Bristol and London are always amazing too. They’re like home games in a footballing sense.
Unlike the rest of your predominantly Brighton-based label buddies, you’re actually only a part-time DJ and producer. Are you looking to break into the business in a full-time capacity?
That is the dream. I mean, making music is quite an odd hobby to have. Most men have a train set or collect stamps or something. I’d love to get into it full time and I’m working pretty hard right now to make it happen. Watch this space.
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