It has been almost ten years since Idjut Boys played last time in Helsinki. Fans of genre-fusing, feel-good disco bashes will be glad to hear that the Londoners are back in town on Friday, January 7th. Conrad and Dan have been producing their original dubbed-out tracks and editing songs (from obscure disco to Phil Collins!) for dancefloor needs since the nineties – way before editing became the fashionable and controversial practise it is today. Besides their own tracks, they have released stuff by such colleagues as Harvey and Prins Thomas on their label Noid Recordings. Our interview with Conrad reveals that the boys' humor is not limited to their silly track titles.
Do you have any memories of your previous visit to Helsinki? I think the last time you played here was at Kerma in the spring of 2001.
– Wow, I could not tell you when, but I do remember the hangover on the ferry to Tallinn. It seems crazy that it was maybe 10 years ago.
How would you describe your style of playing nowadays? Is there a certain sound or vibe you are really into at the moment?
– I'm not sure what style we have – a mix of old and new, same as ever really, play to the people and have a party. As for a sound now – we're always hungry for the good stuff and we tend not to be musical chameleons.
How do you see the scene today in the UK for the kind of music you play? Are there any clubs you play at regularly?
– Things are good in England and have been for quite a while now, for music anyway. There are some top peoples putting on great nights in interesting non-nightclub venues, which have a real party feeling. We have been doing a night with our friend and great dj Felix Dickinson in railway arches. We get to bring the soundsystem and set things up just how we like it – very loud and very dark. We don't seem to finish before 10 AM.
I'm under the impression that you are playing quite a lot in Japan too. Why do you think they're so enthusiastic about so called leftfield disco there?
– Yes, Japan is very good to us. The Japanese music party culture is second to none. They have had the real thing for so long now that they are true connoisseurs and they are enthusiastic about all styles. That is what makes it great.
You have released music under various monikers during the years. Which of them are still active? Are there some special stories behind the aliases?
– Just Idjut Boys at the minute. The stuff we have been putting out on Droid has been nameless. As for the stories for the monikers, it's just our relentless pursuit of toilet humor and the art of offending people.
It seems that there's still stuff coming out on your label Noid Recordings, which has been running since the mid-90's. Are there any other labels you are currently involved with?
– Yes indeed, Droid, which is our outlet for Acid House and electronic tomfoolery. Smalltown Supersound in Norway and Claremont 56 here in London.
How do you produce your material – do you always work together? Do you have your own fields of specialization in the studio?
– We produce with reckless abandon, no thought of cost or if anyone would like it apart from us. It's a strategy that has kept us broke for more than 16 years. We specialize in not specializing. We have specialists for that.
Disco edits surely have been discussed to the point of exhaustion, yet the flow of them doesn't really show any signs of slowing down. As veterans, do you have any advice for the fledgling editors?
– Choose carefully, sisters and brothers. Oh, and please stop with the time stretch worble.
What can we expect from Idjuts in 2011?
– Well then, there be many. First off, Idjut Boys LP on Smalltown Supersound early in the year, which will be our first Idjut Boys album. Idjut remix LP on Claremont 56 – old and new stuff, plus some fresh co-produced stuff with the mighty Mudd. A dub version of the Meanderthals album that we did with Rune Lindbæk on Smalltown Supersound. That should keep us busy. To be honest, if we finish all that, I may well buy myself a drink. Oh, and we did a mix for LCD Soundsystem that hopefully will see the light of day soon. Droid and Noid will be popping up from time to time just to say hi.
Thanks for the interview! And by the way, do you think there's a secret connection between facial hair and talent in dj'ing?
– Without a doubt. The more nasal and ear hair, the better.
