Influences: John Tejada

I didn’t know this record when it was released. I constantly think how much I would have loved it at that young age when I was discovering The Art Of Noise and other similar artists of that time. I found it a little later, but I was totally familiar with Leblanc’s productions for Tommy Boy and Sugarhil early on. A lot of the productions on this album ended up on other On-U Sound records with layers and vocals added, but this is the rawest form of these works and I think by far works the best. I’m still blown away by this record and still have no idea how he did it, especially back then. One of the most important electronic records I own by far.

While Into Battle with Beatbox of course was an undeniable moment in my early influence, I always have fond memories for one of their songs that came a little later. Legs was a major stand out on AON’s In Visible Silence album. It was so impressive to me that an avant garde electronic group with a song like this could cross over into the pop market. They were probably the first group I heard sampling which flipped the world on it’s head, by taking sounds and equipment, using them in an unconventional way. Another aspect I loved about the group was Anne Dudley who rounded out the mechanical production with her classically trained playing. The Art Of Noise at times feel like my biggest influence.

While this is technically hip hop, the production on this for me has always been way out electronic. Legend has it Marley was the first to accidentally sample drum hits from other records into his Korg delay, thereby defining his sound and legacy. Of course now everyone does it. However, the saturation and mix of this record would always haunt me when I heard it on AM radio on KDAY here in LA. It just tears through the system with this amazing lo fi aggression. The unpolished vocal sound only adds to the magic. The drum programming was also very special. It’s just everything I wanted coming out of a boom box at that time. It’s perhaps my favorite hip hop song of all time and still a huge influence for me.

Hearing this record pretty much made myself and long time collaborator Arian Leviste put our gear together in 91 and start trying to make our own music. We were both into hip hop and the newer sounds of Techno and Acid House and this mixed up all of it with a sprinkle of classical music thrown in by way of Pat Matheny/Steve Reich. It changed our lives. It still sounds as fresh and inspiring to me today. One of my all time favorite songs.

I could insert pretty much any Aphex song as an influence but this was on the first EP of his I ever bought back in 92. He broke all the rules and redefined them reshaping electronic music. Hearing his early work back then just left me with this feeling of mystery. It sounded like complete and unapologetic honesty and being unafraid to really just explore. While it was completely futuristic to my ears, it was also completely raw, which set it apart from cleaner productions of the time and made it stand out so much with its raw power.

I’ve pretty much loved everything these 2 have done since their early days in Black Dog Productions. Known for intricate rhythms and melodic structures this piece falls in a simpler more minimal space. I love the way the rigid FM drums blossom into a heartfelt melancholic piece sort of unfolding layer by layer. I feel melody wise there’s no one better for my tastes.

This original mix (before the current live versions adding Bon Jovi etc) was a beautifully stripped down emotive mix of samples from Opus III, Yes, James Brown and The Imperial Brothers. Its always that little sprinkle of vintage hip hop that catches my ear. Tuning The Imperial Brothers sample to match the melody is an example of what makes Orbital magical to me. I ended up nicking the trick for my track Integrator years and years later (although in a different way, sorry guys). The original mix with it’s sweet melodies still sounds as fresh for me today as it did back in 92.

How could I not talk about this record? Probably the most important album of my childhood. I remember having a cassette copy and being totally mystified by it. Numbers was huge in the hip hop scene but the rest of the record was something else entirely and I was trying to wrap my head around it. The edits and effects on track 6, Home Computer still totally haunts me today. I heard it for the first time in 85. I can’t imagine what it sounded like in 81 when it was released. There’s nothing like it. It’s absolutely my biggest influence still to this day and I still notice new things in it all the time.

While Planet Rock and Looking for the Perfect Beat were massive influences as well, Renegades has stuck with me the most over the years. Arthur Baker and John Robie put their 808 stamp on so many productions in those days. They had such a very distinct sound to their production and the way they processed the drums. The totally unique vocal deliveries and combination of synths is unlike anything else from that time or since. It really shouldn’t work but it’s an absolute and original classic.