MADCAP
Dj/Producer/Remixer from Chinnor, Oxfordshire.
Madcap has a long history of providing smooth grooves for our listening pleasure he is one talented man with many releases on record labels listed below.
Creative Wax // Good Looking // Smooth n Groove // Phuzion // Mac II // Criminal // Jazzsticks // Fokuz // AKO Beatz // Renegade // Step Back Sessions // Sonata // Celsius // Uncertified Music // Soul Deep // Warehouse Wax // Side Chain // Immerse // Steel Fingers.
Also winner of Movement / Technics / DJ Magazine DJ Competition – 2002
Winner of ‘Mix Tape of the Month’ IDJ Magazine – 2004.
You began Djing many years ago.
What was the actual year and why did you begin Djing?
Towards the end of 1992 at the young age of 12.
For the love of the music of course. I was obsessed with early Rave / Hardcore music.
I used to listen to 3rd hand copies of tapes I & was intrigued to why the music continued in the mix & love the scratching from Dj’s like Hype & Sy.
I would learn about the Dj’s through magazines like Eternity & Blaze.
The first parties I ever went to were down at the local youth clubs.
Older DJs in the area would play & I’d be fixated what they were doing & would go home & practice what I witnessed.
Why did you start producing music?
I grew up in a very musical household.
My Dad was a singer/songwriter & in the very early days of my life had a studio in our front room.
My Mum is a piano teacher & to this day works at a local school. I never properly learnt to play an instrument, but an old friend was taught by my Mum.
I heard he made beats so we swapped tricks with me teaching him the basics of Djing & in turn him introducing me to producing using a program called Octamed.
We never had anything released but it was a good leaning experience.
I believed it was a natural progression after DJing & took me a number of years to get to the stage of producing tracks on my own & having the confidence to play them to a crowd in a club.
For many years now you’ve been releasing your music.
Is there any tune that stands out the most for you and gave you more motivation to keep producing music?
It’s probably the first tune I signed to Good Looking called ‘Inflated Tear’ alongside Villem.
Having tunes on this infamous label & support from LTJ Bukem gave me confidence & encouragement.
You had many DJ residencies at events across the country also promoting events in local towns.
Would you consider residencies and event promotion again or are you more focused on being in the studio?
Of course, I would love another residency.
As for promotion, never say never!!!
I did events from the mid 90’s up until a few years ago.
They were great times, but currently I’m focused on DJing, producing & co-running Creative Wax, but if the right opportunity presented itself, I would consider it.
You completed remixes of legendary tunes for LTJ Bukem, Nookie / Cloud 9, Tom & Jerry aka 4 Hero & DJ Monita.
Including Cloud 9’s Moving Shadow classic ‘You Got Me Burning Up’ & Nookie’s Reinforced release ‘A Drum, A Bass & A Piano’.
While remixing those tunes did you feel more pressurised and found the whole process stressful ( as your remixing ultimate classics ) or was it all plain sailing?
It was an honour to remix these tracks, as they were all favs of that golden period of Jungle / D&B.
I don’t really recall feeling major pressure, but I wouldn’t say it was always plain sailing when working on them.
After doing possibly 10 mixdowns of ‘You Got Me Burning Up’ my wife kindly asked me to work on something else for a while. Haha.
Talk us through your studio equipment and how you nail the perfect mix down.
I currently use an IMac using Logic X with plug-ins including Native Instruments Komplete, Arturia, Sound Toys & a few more.
I use Soundforge to cut up samples either through the computer or off the Technics 1210’s & run it all through Adam Audio monitors using a Focusrite soundcard.
I also have a Komplete Kontrol Keyboard, Maschine MKII, Mini Korg, Roland TR-8 & TB-03 & couple of pairs of KRK monitors. You can never have enough speakers to test your new tunes on ;)
As for mixdowns, I’m still trying to perfect it & learning all the time.
What advice would you give to all those up and coming DJs/Producers?
Most importantly do it because you enjoy it.
Study the art & history.
You have to put a lot of time & energy in, so don’t expect overnight success.
Forthcoming releases?
An EP due out soon alongside the late great Andy Skopes on Dispatch.
Vinyl due out on Utopia Music.
Break’s Symmetry (alongside Jack Boston).
Forthcoming vinyl due with Randall’s Mac II, Monita’s Skeleton Recordings & Myriad Recordings.
Projects in the making with Soul Deep & Smooth N Groove.
I also a couple of remixes to announce later this year which I’m super excited about.
Forthcoming sets?
Gigs planned for London, Manchester & Gloucester, keep your eyes peeled for more info.
Any special thanks, final words?
To my wife Mel & son Flynn, all my family, friends, artists, promoters, label owners & everyone that supports my music, Big love!
Thanks to D+B for the opportunity to do the mix & Q&A.
Here’s an exclusive guest mix from MADCAP…
For bookings please contact: madcap1980@gmail.com
Check the socials to stay up to date with news, releases & gigs
https://www.facebook.com/MadcapDJ/
https://www.instagram.com/maddersuk/