Dj Guy: The Ransom Note Mix

Music

Guy Evans is an unsung hero of sorts. Based in Cardiff he has been a presence in the wider electronic music community for over twenty five years, however, it is only more recently that his own music has started to amass the respect and credibility which it has always deserved. A few years back I was introduced to his music by one of the team behind All Caps in Rubadub in Glasgow, at the time they were wholeheartedly excited by what they described as an "old school head" who had been sending music to them. Guy Evans would later to go on to release on the label and has since progressed on to Hypercolour, Cejero, NORD Records and more…

We are delighted to be able to welcome him as he contribute to our Ransom Note mix series.

Please introduce yourself…

My name is Guy Evans, I'm 45 years old and have spent the past 25+ years making music and mixing records in clubs and at home.

Who are you, where are you and what are you?

Im a hard working dad to my beautiful 2 and a half year old son, I work freelance teaching music technology classes in schools etc, i'm based in Cardiff, Wales, Uk

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

How did you form a relationship with All Caps after time away from music?

I've never really had time away from music. In 2011, I graduated after completing a 3 year music technology degree and in 2012 began uploading around 150 old tracks to Soundcloud, nearly all of these tracks were recorded between 1992-1998 on cassette tape and had been stored at home. Bake stumbled across my Soundcloud page and emailed me. We started chatting, and it later resulted in a release on their label All Caps (AC003).

How has the industry changed between days gone by and the present?

Massive changes of course, vinyl, digital / streaming, too many changes to mention, some positive and some negative I suppose.

Does it feel strange for your music to be as prevalent now as it is when some was recorded years ago?

I've always made music and am still actively working on stuff nowadays too, but I hope the music I recorded back then is still relevant. I never ever imagined that any of this stuff would be released on vinyl and cassette and so I feel very lucky to have been given this opportunity.

Where was the mix recorded?

It was recorded about 6 weeks ago at my home in Cardiff.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

Either sat down wearing headphones with your eyes closed, or dancing with friends whilst hearing it on a nice warm soundsystem.

What should we be wearing?

Something comfortable

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

Probably on the Moon or ISS space station….with a live satellite link up with Earth, vinyl format preferably.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

I like all the tracks in the mix but im really happy I included my own track titled 'Warmth in Rhythm'. It's currently unreleased so a bit of an exclusive for the listeners. I made it back in April and hopefully it will be getting released in the future. It has very nice sort of Bladerunneresque glissando sounds sweeping throughout the track. I'm usually super critical of most of the tracks I make, but im actually quite happy with this track and I hope the listeners will enjoy it too.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

I always remember listening to an old Sasha & Grooverider tape from the Eclipse club in 1991? Probably made the biggest impression on me at the time. I remember spending months and months trying to deconstruct it fully in my head, figuring out the structure / blends / tracklist etc.

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

I would have to say the Electrifying Mojo. He was a mysterious but legendary DJ who influenced many of my peers.. not much information about him remains.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

Back in 1983/84 I had an old Binatone turntable which I bought off a friend for £5 which had a pitch control on it, plus another standard record player without any pitch control and a 4 channel mono microphone mixer, jack plug inputs.. i could only mix from one record to another and that would be it. A few years later I upgraded to belt drive turntables and a 'Realistic mixer'.

Now I have a pair of Technics 1210's with an Allen & Heath DJ mixer, a technics amp and a beautiful pair of vintage 1973 (Kef 103) speakers.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

I think both have equal importance.

What were the first and last records you bought?

Newest was the 'Nu Era – Geometricks' EP (Marc Mac from 4 Hero), the first record I bought was probably Adam and the Ants 'Kings of the Wild Frontier' LP (i was always facinated that the band had two drummers!! I always loved drums/rhythms when i was a kid)

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Crunchy, tangy citrus flavours mixed with a blend of spices, with a cool calming aftertaste…

If it was an animal what would it be?

Don't know…

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

Umm… Blackalicious – 'Alphabet Aerobics'

Upcoming in the world of…

Got a few releases scheduled for later this year. Firstly a track on the next 'Future Primitive' (FPR002) scheduled for release in early September, also a track on the next 'LaBeauteDuNegatif' label (LNEG008), something coming out on Exotic Robot in the future, plus a few other things which I can't really mention at the moment.