Interview: Reset Robot

In the music industry, there are so many people behind the scenes helping run the well-oiled machine that is the ‘artiste’.

But more often than not it’s those ‘tightening the cogs’ that are the most note-worthy. I mean, before Lady Gaga was calling slabs of meat a dress she was Stefani Germanotta, the highly sought after songwriter for label Interscope.

Dave Robertson may not walking round with a tea cup and calling it art, but he sure as hell helped a bevy of producers attain that sound they were struggling to find. Though sometimes helping others becomes tireless, because in the end it’s never really your vision you see. And so the UK producer created alias Reset Robot. As RR he could focus his talent on making his internal soundscapes a reality.

Jasmine Phull learns why less affluent areas such as South America are helping DJs beat the recession; why Beatport is the pioneer of the download era and how the XX liked it but didn’t want it.

For a DJ, travelling is part of the job. What’s something that travelling has taught you?

If you’re travelling with someone else it’s great; you can have an amazing time. When you’re on your own and all you see is the airport, hotel, club, hotel it gets a bit monotonous and tiring. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. On the positive side, you meet some really great people and occasionally that means you get to spend a bit of time somewhere which is amazing. Going and playing in places in Tokyo means you get to see that place. You know?

You remix tracks and create your own. Which do you prefer?

I think I prefer doing original stuff. It’s more personal and you can kind of go in any directions. Sometimes when people ask you to do remixes they might say: I really like that track that you did, but as soon as they say that you’re like: right so they want something exactly like that. Then you’ve got to do that and when you don’t get it, it can be sort of frustrating.

Do people approach you? Do you feel much pressure when remixing their tracks?

Yea, usually people will come in and say ‘can you remix this?’. I guess it depends how good the original is. If the original is amazing then there’s more pressure!

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I’ve spoken to quite a few DJs who’ve said they’ve been asked to remix a song and once the song is done the other artist’s management will have changed their mind. And even though the track is uploaded onto the internet no one really comes and says otherwise. Like there are no ramifications for not actually getting the green-light. Have you come across those sort of problems?

I guess so. That kind of sounds like spec remixers, a ‘if we like it we’ll take it’ kind of thing. The thing is people do bootlegs and put them on the internet all the time. So it would be no different to that really?

In the end both side are getting promotion anyway...

Exactly. An act called King Unique did a boot-leg of one of my tracks and they put an XX track over the top of it. Then he sent it the XX and they really liked it but they weren’t going to release it. But then we managed to organise for Pete Tong to do a free-download thing so if you get in touch with them you can generally get somewhere with it. Usually they’re cool with it. I mean like you said it’s good promotion for both sides... if it’s a good track.

Most expensive thing you ever bid for on eBay?

I’d be lying if I said I had bid on anything. I’ve never used it! I just get my stuff from a shop in Southampton or from Amazon.

Why did you decide to create Roomba Music?

Well I started it last year and I like to try and bring up-and-coming people through. There’s some guys around where i live in Portsmouth who’ve been doing some really great stuff. So I’ve just been signing my friends really..

Is it hard to juggle taking care of the label and DJing/touring?

It’s not because I have a lot of help from my management company Bigfoot. They help with the running of things from artwork to promotion. I just have to be the A&R person and find new artists. In that respect I’m very lucky.

So you don’t have to handle the business side of it?

No no. It’s all taken care of.

You’ve played all the mega clubs from Fabric and Digital to Tripod. You’ve also played Matter, which closed not too long ago. In your eyes, how has the whole recession affected the life of a producer/DJ? Has it had a big toll on your career?

I don’t think it has to be honest. You can be booked so far afield that there’s obviously countries that aren’t struggling or are struggling less. South America is quite poor but you seem to get booked anyway. If people want to bring you over for a party it just seems to happen, and they will. I guess if your fees are sort of realistic and you want to play then it can happen. I think it’s affected things in the UK, definitely. So maybe I’m not getting booked for as many parties here but then being booked for more abroad.

You’ve been playing since the 90s. What’s something that’s missing in the music industry that was there 10-15 years ago?

I’m 28. I’ve been into the music since 1998-1999 but I wasn’t involved in the music industry then. I was still at school listening to tapes and all that kind of stuff. It hasn’t been really until the last sort of six or seven years that i’ve really got into the actual industry.

But even in that small period there’s been a great shift.

Yea with regards to the physical product and the digital thing just becoming massive. Beatport is a massive sensation and it’s changed everything for house and techno I think. And you could say the whole illegal download thing has changed it. But then the questions is: people are downloading your music, so would you rather they had it or didn’t have it? At the end of the day I’d rather people had it, even if they’re not paying for it.

I guess that’s why the element of touring has become such an important part of being a musician. Financially speaking.

Financially, that’s where you earn your money.

Interview by: Jasmine Phull

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