Shortly before New Year, Andy Ward agreed to take some time to talk to Don about Clean Cut, his musical influences and much more.
read on...

Andy, can you tell us how you got involved with the music scene and how old you were when you first started to take an interest in music in general?

For as long as I can remember I have loved music (hasn't everyone).. I won't lie and say I DJed from the age of 5 like most people like to say they did....my first taste of dance music was from going to house parties and legendary events like the Soul All-dayers in Bham, Nottingham, Sheffield etc. It never crossed my mind once that i wanted to be a dj. Then, after "evolving" with the acid house scene I came across an old friend who had turntables at his flat and found that I was quite good at mixing as soon as i tried it for the first time. I was hooked from then on in (about ’91).

I DJ'ed at various little venues around Bham for free for a while.
Then another old friend told me that he was starting a Sunday morning "breakfast club" at a bar called Marco Polo's in Brum, and that I should bring down some tunes. This was an early morning party where mostly gays frequented after a heavy night at any one of the many gay clubs around the China Town quarter of Bham.To cut a very long story short, we created one of the biggest and best Early morning events that people travelled from as far as Blackpool every week to... and that was the start of my career as a DJ. WE had such a great club that promoters in the area all wanted to emulate our success...and so we carved a name for ourselves as guest DJs on the circuit. I would say that is the only way to break into the scene as a DJ now, by creating your own crowd and doing club tours!

Where are you based?

Birmingham, UK

Soul Central is the production partnership between yourself and Paul Timothy, your musical style is often focused on the jazz soul elements of House, but what do you want Soul Central to be really known for?

Good quality, tight production and an all round vibe that people know they can pick up without having to hear first before they buy.

Can you tell us more about Tim?

The guy is a bloody loonatic. We hit it off together straight away as we both have the same sense of humour...and that helps a lot when we are working together. He also started off as a DJ at the same time as me..maybe a year or so before me. He played at many of the big rave events around the country...and then just dropped off the scene. A self taught musician, he then hooked up with legendary Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and toured the globe with him as main keyboard player for the "Priory of Brian" band. It was around this time that our paths crossed properly for the first time (2yrs ago) and we have been working together ever since. Tim has his own production credits under his belt as "The Wikkaman & Timmy Vegas". He has had releases on Soundmen on Wax, Records of Interest and various white label projects also.

What was the idea behind Clean Cut records (your own imprint)?

We really believe in the music we make, as we know our music. But we weren't getting the interest we thought we would from some of the other labels out there. After our initial release on Henry Street as "The Mentalists" we truly believed that the flood gates would open, that the remixes would start rolling in and every track we made would get signed up...oh how wrong we were!! I remember sending out a demo of our debut release "Song for Sharma" to various labels. No one was interested in it...if you have heard that track you have to agree it is a monster! So we said...F*!k em...if they haven't got the vision, we need to get it out there ourselves.......welcome to the world - Clean Cut Records circa March 2002.

Are you looking out for new material or new talent?

Yes, always....Our latest release features a vocalist that contacted me by chance we invited her up and we now have CCR003 out of the streets featuring her.

I can just about play with myself, let alone any kind of instrument...so I guess the inspiration musically comes from Tim. But I do know what sounds good or not, and I have been known to steer him in certain directions after his initial idea. To see and hear him working on a solo gives me goosebumps...I have got so much respect for someone who can play keys and guitar like that man...having never been taught a thing !!

If you could name three producers that you'd like to work with, or excite you, who would they be?

MAW, Jazz n Groove, Frankie Feliciano.....there are many others,...but these guys never ever fail to surprise me.

The Soul Central 'Fiesta E.P' got a lot of attention from some pretty big names at the WMC in 2002, is this the most important part of the year for the label?

Without doubt, as we launched the label this year. It was the debut release that caused the stir...Song for Sharma. To have Louie Vega drop it at the MAW party was the start of a mad rollercoaster year for us. All the big DJs were hounding us for a copy...it sounds corny, but there is no better satisfaction than impressing your peers!!

Moving on to the Djing aspect of you life, Soul Heaven have made some big waves this year with a monthly event at the MOS and a weekly slot at El Divino in Ibiza this summer. How do you feel the year has treated the party in these early days?

This year has been phenomenal for Soul Heaven. I have the regular 4am to close, or 5am to close set in the bar at the Ministry, and I have built up a nice rapport with the crowd. Again...I do this for the vibes from the crowd...and I always get it at SoulHeaven. Apparently my sets at El Divino were the talking point of the season for Soul heaven. I am flattered if this is true.

As someone who loves the Soulful House scene dearly I'm really interested in getting into the production, thing is I've had a bash at Cubase and find it a bit lacking/basic. Do you have any advice for someone interested in making sounds?

We use Logic, I find it a doddle. However, if you can't play an instrument, your music is always gonna be very basic..or sample based. You need interesting chord progressions, movements in sound that touch like minded people....hook up with a musician, they don't even have to be that good, but get some chords going and the rest comes naturally !!

What do you think of the Soulful House scene at the moment? Is it set for a cruise down the toilet? Or, are we set for a full scale Renaissance?

The scene is good to me at the moment, and I can only see it getting better as people get bored of formula house music

With your Soul Central productions on the go, the Clean Cut records Label up and Running along with the Soul heaven commitments, what will 2003 hold in store for you?

I have major things planned for 2003 on a personal level, as well as major news regarding Soul Central and Clean Cut Records...all of these things are on fire as we do this..so I am afraid you will have to come back for an update in six months time...believe me...it will be worth it

The New Soul Central release Faith/Memories sees your musical style adopt a traditional Jersey Style Garage flavour that in well in keeping with the style's musical values. Is it a new direction for Soul Central and when's it due for a general release?

ccr003 - on general release worldwide now...Soul Central present Diana Waite..Faith/Memories. We have no boundaries with our releases..if we feel it, there will be others that feel it !!

Finally, what are your plans for NYE?

I am staying in Birmingham this year for NYE. That way I get to spend New Years Day with my wife and kids instead of in a hotel somewhere far away. I am headlining an event called Clique @ Club Hidden, as well as at a big collaboration between Babooshka and Fuel, just outside of Brum. Happy New Year to ya !!!!

Don and jjazproject.com would like to thank Andy for taking time out to talk to us.

Details of Clean Cut Records, Soul Central and Andy Himself can be sought at
info@cleancutrecords.com