Ahead of his special House Masters release (June 24th), we catch up with the one and only Todd Terry, to talk about what we can expect from the album, his future collaborations, the ever changing world of dance music and much more.
We present to you - Todd Terry, House Master…
Todd, so what are you currently up to?
I’m hanging in New Jersey, working on new music. I’ve just collaborated with Josh Butler (who has a solo release forthcoming on Defected) and last night was in the studio with Kenny ‘Dope’ Gonzalez. It’s been a long, long time since Kenny and I last worked together – we were buggin’ out recording a new track, which is pretty much there…it’s sounding kinda awesome.
You’re soon to join Mr Gonzalez as a Defected ‘House Master’…
We’ve been talking about doing a House Masters record for three years. Now is a really good time, because the kids are finding out about old school house, playing those records and learning new things from them. It’s taken eight or nine months to sort the licensing and legalities but it’s great to hear everything together. The album reflects the records the kids ask to hear when I DJ – some of the more familiar productions and hits alongside my newer productions. They show me on their phones what they want to hear and I think this is a totally relevant collection.
Your discography is longer than that of most artists – was it a battle keeping to three discs?
The main thing I wanted to include was some of the new In House records, as they’re relevant to where I’m at today. But we’re already plotting a House Masters ‘Part 2’ for the end of the year. I have so much excitement about carrying the project on. I want the next album to represent more of my obscure output so I’m digging deep through the back catalogue to find those forgotten tracks, even if they’re rap or breaks. There are so many surprises already – Kenny sent me a bunch of ideas for tracks and I’d forgotten lots of them! I’m happy for anyone to send me their suggestions for what to include….
Did you see your epic career in house music coming?
I definitely didn’t! I was hip-hop at the beginning and when I switched to house, the reaction was a big shock. It started as a small thing but now people are following my music worldwide. That’s crazy.
So are you satisfied by the legacy your career is already creating?
I’m close to satisfied. It’s hard for me to feel entirely content because I didn’t rock up on a major label…that never happened, or hasn’t happened yet. Sometimes it’s hard to accept that an artist can have one hit record – only one - and all this time and money invested in them by a major, whilst someone like me has been releasing popular music for many years and nothing. I’d love a label to spend $2m on me - on videos, promotion and the rest! But it is what it is and I keep moving forward with a commitment to entertain and make more good music.
Artists often live and die by their own name as ‘brand’ these days but you rose to the top through several aliases and identities – was it easy switching between them?
These are changing times. Back then contract issues meant having to use different aliases so that you could release with different labels. I came up with the gimmick to keep working. If I had five records coming out, then I came up with four or five aliases. The concept worked for me, but other artists tried it and it just didn’t happen. There were musical tweaks between my different names but the sound was broadly similar and people liked it….
What was the blueprint behind your sound?
I created different elements every 8-16 bars of a track, to keep the dancefloor interested and give everybody something to jump on to. I came from breakbeats, from James Brown, John Davis [and The Monster Orchestra] and ‘Apache’ [memorably covered for the dancefloor by Incredible Bongo Band in 1973]. There was real energy and style in chopping between different breaks and sounds…building the parts together. And I always looked for a big Quincy Jones ending – a classic vocal ending like ‘Give Me The Night’ or ‘Love X Love’ had [Jones produced the songs as part of George Benson’s 1980 album Give Me The Night]. That’s just how I was taught. You don’t get records like that now, the kids are not actually used to ‘music’ only beats. It’s tougher these days to hear great house cuts with vocals.
How do you view the contemporary club scene?
It’s way too saturated - about quantity not quality. It’s difficult to find artists like Kenny and I now, because people today are making music from what is not music. Everything is roboticized, and mimicry of certain records and styles is easy. That a new, young guy can sound like me is weird. There’s nothing really creative there; they’ll have a major hit but then nothing to follow it with. For me, it’s a constant battle… doing my own thing and keeping myself heard.
In interviews before you’ve talked about making music for the dancefloor – has your style changed, then, as people’s appetites change?
Less is more. There is less stuff in my records now. The kids can only take so much, just a few different elements in a record, so I’ve simplified things. I change my patterns but only enough not to lose the audience.
Isn’t that frustrating?
Somewhere in the record I’ll still do a little bit of my thing…it’s still there, maybe a breakbeat in there or something. I’d love to do more but the reality is that I have to be careful. I don’t want to be wasting my time - radio stations won’t play a lot of great house records so I carefully adapt my approach.
Your rise and rise was synonymous with super-smart sampling but you seem to use it less nowadays?
I do sample less. A lot of older dance records relied on sample loops but loops are a little dated today. I might sample a drum roll or smaller sound but I never loop them. I manipulate those sounds and arrange them in ways that are creative and different. Even when I was sampling more, I only ever used tiny bits of a sound before manipulating it and making something new. If a current artist does decide to sample then they need to be clever.
So what else is coming up for Todd Terry?
There’s a big buzz around Freeze. We have a few new records on the way; we’re remixing a bunch of stuff and I’ve also been working with Joey Beltram which is really exciting. There’s some good new stuff coming on In House too, and my projects with Just Ice and MC E are ongoing. I’m also exploring the idea of a TV show with Beatport, and a new rap label.
And longer-term?
Our industry is big business now - the internet has changed many things, and a lot of labels have different priorities. It’s terrible out there. The over accessibility of dance music has driven through a lot of poor quality records and a real lack of A&R. It’s a different kind of mischief. As I’ve said, I regret not having had a major label deal but, looking ahead, I wouldn’t do EDM. I’ll just keep going out with what I feel is right. That could be house or hip-hop, even alt-rock or something Spanish, because I grew up in a neighbourhood with all of that playing. I’d actually really like to make a full Latin album. I love the Latin sound; it’s something I always looked to use on my House Of Gypsies releases. But it’s finding the time to record and knowing when people will want to hear an album like that. We’ll see….
You remain motivated after nearly 35 years in the game because…
…my family depend on me. This is what I know and do. At the same time, a lot of people continue to look up to me and that gives me a power…a drive. I’m not at the top of the hill just yet! There’s more stuff to look forward to.
Defected presents House Masters Todd Terry (Volume One) is released by Defected on June 24th via 3-CD, digital and streaming.
Words: Ben Lovett
