Glaswegian-born DJ extraordinaire HOWIE B's new album, "FabricLive.05" is the latest release from the London-based club who specialise in mix albums par excellence. TIM PEACOCK caught up with the man whose address book includes the members of U2 and legendary Jamaican rhythm section SLY AND ROBBIE for a chat about dance culture, producing music with professional painters and plumbing the depths of dub.
HOWIE BERNSTEIN has the kind of CV most of us would literally die for. A man of serious renown in DJ/ remixing circles, he's probably best known for his work on U2's "Pop" album and the subsequent lemon-obsessed 'Pop Mart' world tour. However, Howie has also turned in remix/production work for artists as diverse as (deep breath) GENEVA, RENEGADE SOUNDWAVE, ROBBIE ROBERTSON, WIM WENDERS, BAABA MAAL and COMPULSION.
Not surprisingly, Howie is a man constantly in demand and - even during our conversation - his mobile rings continually. Nonetheless, he's really interesting to speak to and has plenty of insight to divulge on any number of topics.
We start with his new album, "FabricLive.05", the latest in the London club's specialist DJ mix albums, which showcase both established and emerging DJs. Previous luminaries in the series have included JAMES LAVELLE and CRAIG RICHARDS. To this writer's ears, it's certainly one of the better mix albums you'd come across, perhaps the best I've heard since PORTISHEAD DJ Andy Smith's effort.
"FabricLive.05"s cast includes tracks from artists as diverse as GARBAGE, KING TUBBY and a remarkable track from DOPE SMUGGLAZ, featuring legendary Goth LYDIA LUNCH in superlative sleazy form. Where on earth did this come from, Howie?
"LYDIA LUNCH...yeah, that's from an amazing spoken word piece ("The Human Animal"). I couldn't resist putting that over the DOPE SMUGGLAZ record. If you listen, you'll find there's quite a prominent BEE GEES sample in there, too," enthuses Howie.
"I thought it would be so cool to fuse those elements together," he continues. "I mean, they're all so disparate...the temptation was almost too much for me."
One of the album's other highlights - amid strange house, rare groove and - eventually - some delicious dub courtesy of PRINCE FAR I, is GARBAGE'S "Cherry Lips." Shirley and co are at their most seductive and rhythmic with Howie's magic touch egging them on. Did he request them to work with or vice versa?
"No, they approached me, actually" he replies.
"I enjoyed that project, though. I loved the original song anyway and I had a great idea to make the chorus go higher. I thought I'd restructure their track and it worked really well. I know they were happy with it personally. I got great feedback from them so I must have realised what they wanted too."
Meanwhile, I can't resist the opportunity to bring PRINCE FAR I and dub reggae into the conversation. One thing that seems to unite great DJs is their mutual love of dub (I'm also thinking Andy Weatherall, Paul Oakenfold etc here). Why do you think this is, Howie?
"The space is the thing with that music," Howie suggests.
"It was the first instrumental music we were introduced to here in Glasgow...especially if you smoke a bit. If so, then you've got a root into dub and it's very satisfying."
"It's very good mind music to formulate your ideas," continues Howie, obviously warming to the subject.
"I mean, it's not over-produced at all. Even now in the 21st Century it's only 16-track gear they use in Jamaica and don't forget that all the classic Lee 'Scratch' Perry stuff was done on only 4-track at the old Black Ark."
Good point. Indeed, it's this eclecticism and the open-minded approach that Howie emphasises with "FabricLive" that's one of its' main strengths. Does Howie feel that people are generally more eclectic in their musical tastes these days?
"I think so, definitely," Howie considers.
"People are searching for different things all the time and the references they have to what's happening now are usually culled from what's gone before and the fact that people are generally more open to change these days can only be a good thing."
Of course, Howie's link with the Fabric club/ label is only one of numerous irons he has in the fire. He also has his own Pussyfoot Records imprint. Tell us more, if you please, Howie?
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"Well, Pussyfoot is a very small and self-contained thing and that's just the way I like it," Howie replies emphatically.
"I mean, there'll be an album from two Japanese guys called HONOLULU 2 coming out towards the end of the year...that's our next project. But there's only a few people and myself involved at the label. It's very hands-on."
Once again, though, Pussyfoot forms only another small percentage of Howie's output. He's also got production work with the legendary SLY & ROBBIE and an enigmatic Scandinavian singer called BERTINE in the pipeline...
"I've worked with SLY & ROBBIE before," says Howie.
"I did an album with them about four years ago, but this new one will be a dub album of sorts. We're putting a new twist on dub," he says enigmatically.
"As for BERTINE," he continues, barely missing a beat,
"She's outrageous. I've actually been writing songs with her. We've completed six so far. Both of us have wide- ranging musical tastes and it's nice to get involved in someone who's not from a boy's band, y'know?"
"Her sound's amazing, too," he finishes. "She's like a cross between folk, hip-hop and electro. Our old friend "eclectic" again describes her, I suppose."
HOWIE B also has a number of solo albums to his name. Two of the most fascinating are 1996's "Music For Babies" (written to celebrate the birth of Howie's first child) and 1997's "Turn Off The Dark." Somehow, Mr.Bernstein has also found time to record with HUBERT NOI for an album (due) called "Music For Astronauts and Cosmonauts." Is this an ambient project like much of "Music For Babies"?
"Well, it's more...hard to categorise," muses Howie.
"The idea was to make music to give you a sense of time. Music to go and make you work whatever you work at. Hubert's actually a painter as a rule, but I thought it would be great to see what happens if you put him in a recording studio and see what he'd do if you got him to make music."
With projects literally coming out of his ears, does Howie ever get the chance to visit his Glasgow roots? If so, what does he make of the modern, recent European city of culture?
"I love it. I spend more time here now than as a teenager, actually," replies Howie enthusiastically.
"I gig far more up here these days and love spending time with my family. I'm impressed with what they've done with the city too.
"I mean, these days there's great hotels and clubs and it's quite an exciting city to visit. Before...15 years ago it was really awful and I couldn't see myself feeling so positive because there was no scene or anywhere worth visiting. Now I'd definitely recommend it."
Talking of clubs and your work as a DJ, Howie, I read that you "never think about my set before I play it." Is this always the rule of thumb for you?
"Yeah, absolutely," he confirms.
"Anytime I've tried to think about the set, it just goes wrong. Because then you're trying too hard to impose yourself on an audience and that's wrong. I just turn up with my two bulging bags of records and try not to over-analyse anything."
Before we go, Howie, the obvious question - are you still in touch with BONO and co and will you be working with them in the near future?
"Oh yeah, we're always in touch," he responds, laughing.
"I can't say if I'll work with them again musically, but we're always talking. I give them advice about the really important stuff...y'know...food, clothes and especially music!"
Somehow, I really don't doubt it!
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