5 Making Music Tips; Jagz Kooner

Starting his 20 year career when he teamed up with Andrew Weatherall to form Sabres of Paradise in the early 90s,studio whizzkid Jagz Kooner went on to produce and remix the likes of Oasis, Kasabian and in particular Primal Scream as well as being in the Aloof in the 90s.

More recently he’s been working closely with the likes of Autokratz, Reverend & the Makers and in particular British three piece the Whip, producing their new album "Wired Together". The band have just released five tracks in advance of the album’s September Southern Fried Records release, which are available to listen to at their site: www.thewhipband.com

Skrufff: I make music because . . .

Jagz Kooner: “It’s all I really know. Seriously I've never had a proper job since I left school (pretty much without any decent qualifications) and started to make tracks in my bedroom by cutting up old tunes with a turntable and a 4-track Port-a-studio. I had a mixer with 4 second loop time that I would make loops with. It pretty much started there and then I had a chance meeting with Bam Bam in 1987-88 who told me how to make house music with a box called a (Roland) TB303. I found 1 for £25 and never looked back.”

Skrufff: The best way to overcome a creative block is . . .

Jagz Kooner: “To stop and take a break, I don’t mean go and a make a cup of tea or go get a coffee but actually stop for a few days and get inspiration from outside of the studio. Go to the cinema, or a club/gig or take time out to listen to music outside of your normal working environment.  Go sit in a park on a sunny day and put your iPod on random. Do stuff like that till you actually start missing being in the studio and start feeling inspired to go back in.

Skrufff: I started taking making music seriously when . . .

Jagz Kooner: “When I started getting paid. Ha ha, no seriously I think it was when the Sabres of Paradise were going to sign a deal and there was a bidding war going on with such vast sums of money being offered to us that still leave me in disbelief today. It was when we signed that deal that I realised "OK we need to take this seriously now’ as we are more or less in debt to the record/publishing company for nearly a seven figure sum. That was when the penny dropped and it wasn’t just a case of few mates hanging out in the studio together.”

Skrufff: The best music-making tip I ever heard was . . .

Jagz Kooner: “Try not to ever work on your own (something I don’t always do). Always have someone to bounce ideas off even if all they are doing is hanging around making tea. A simple head nod of approval can be enough to stop you from questioning whether what you are doing is any good (or bad).”

Skrufff: The secret of writing great music is . . .

Jagz Kooner: “Your energy levels need to stay up (that means staying positive headspace wise as well), work quickly so self doubt doesn't get a chance to take hold meaning end up questioning every single thing you do. And I repeat, always bounce ideas off someone else. Someone popping into the studio that digs what is going on will put a big spring in your step motivation wise.”

http://www.jagzkooner.co.uk

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Jonty Skrufff: http://listn.to/JontySkrufff