Being given 10 minutes notice to interview any international act would be considered a challenge in itself. Only to find out its DJ Goldie makes it just that bit more intimidating. Goldie is known as the bad boy of the drum and bass scene worldwide. Streetwise yet passionate, uneducated yet extremely wise, tough exterior with an artistic soul.
In the late 80s and early 90s Goldie was also known as a legendary Graf artist. Travelling to the States to hook up with some graffiti writers and people that he knew from New York, including street art, breakers and break dancers. He still follows Graf art and paints at home, often doing a lot of the artwork for his own label, Metalheadz.
His artist talents don’t stop there. Featuring as the bad guy in a James Bond Movie recently inspired him to write his own movie, yet to be released. Goldie explains, “I dunno why. I just finished writing my first screenplay, which I been doing for the past 3 and half years, which will start filming this year, probably at the end of August. I think I just getting excited about the film, use yet another medium to explore some avenues.”
With his new album due out the same time as the film, its no wonder that Goldie has little time for interviews. Goldie briefs us on the plot for his film “The movie is based on a kids life in an urban environment his view on things, and how he plays the antagonist how he basically brings his step father down who is a drug dealer. How he deals with drugs at an early age and how he deals with getting his mother off drugs and stuff it’s a pretty heavy movie dealing with a lot of urban issues.”
Listening to Goldie speak, as quickly as he does, you can not hear the passion in his voice but he comes across extremely well educated. Goldie answers “Am I fuck!.... am I fuck! I just learnt, I’m alive that’s how I learn. I didn’t do fuck all while in school, learnt through life as you usually do.”
Spending a large portion of his time travelling around the world, Goldie was all to happy to share his opinion on what is being played out, drum and bass wise at the moment globally. “I just look at what metalheadz is trying to do as a label and how it’s trying to expand and always trying to be on the cutting edge. And I think even in the UK I kind of tend to play different to what everyone else is playing because lack of people being able to get metalheadz music or just the fact that I’m a lot older and I just not into the younger music. I play the devils advocate when I say that, it’s not a bad thing that everyone is playing the same thing, but commercially at the age I am, I just can’t listen to the same thing. I may as well put on a tape and let everyone rewind the tape every time a DJ comes into the room. I think there is a lot of good music out there that is not getting played in that sense the British crowd has been spoilt somewhat they are very spoilt and it’s the same with what they do with a lot of genres of music I think that they tend to be a little bit spoilt and they can actually go out and play a little bit more cutting edge things and I think that there is a young crowd out there and a young crowd needs to be educated and if you just play young things to a young crowd then they just stay young.”
Goldie holds high regard for Australia and its artists and music being produced recently. He says “As for Australian artists, I actually think I missed the boat on that one, I think there’s a couple guys that came out of Australia I think I’m not sure, John and Skiiver which I heard some stuff which is quite impressive to tell the truth. I mean Doc Scott got Pendulum which is cool cause they blew up and stuff, the guys who did that sort of stuff, they are really really good, I think there are some top producers coming out of there. Hopefully ill find some while I’m down there, but I was very impressed with what’s come out of there you know what I mean.” He goes on to say “Guys in Australia and New Zealand have kinda already arrived and I think that is what we learnt at the music conference last year at the Winter Music Conference they really really held their own.”
Goldie is toadstool and he openly classes himself as “old”. Many would debate that, but I for one am not going to argue with Goldie. Does he have much left in him? He answers, “Oh yea man, I mean there is like four killers out there right now. Four or five killers that I’m playing out that are off my own album, the word is that Goldie got his roughage back, or so that is the phrase. At the end of the day its kinda like, what I was saying about getting it back, if I focus on anything for any amount of time its easy for me to go an make music, that’s not the problem, the problem is finding the time to do it.” He laughs. “Well if I’m making a film, I have to focus on writing the film and it’s a different ball game. If I’m locked in the studio for a week then the resources are going to come out that’s just the way I am. I paint the whole canvass I never do A mass tune, its not about me doing.. You know… I have to deal with it the way I deal with you, so you know.”
With his new movie out soon, records being pressed as we speak, flights booked and international tours on the horizon, it’s easy to get tired just talking to Goldie. He shows no signs of feeling the pinch himself. Visualise his eyes lighting up and sitting up straight as the conversation turns. Goldie chats on happily about his new movie “I’m not going to be in the movie myself because I think it’s a big mistake that people think they can direct and act at the same time. Unless you are a genius, unless you are someone like you know, who is out there been there for years, an example of that is like Denzil Washington. He’s learnt and able to do that. I don’t think I’m ready for that. I’m ready to direct and play a cameo role as an ice-cream attendant maybe that’s about it,” he laughs. “You know what I mean. I have got some big names lined up to star in this film which is going to shock a few people but I cant really say at the moment. People have said to me is it an autobiography, no its because it is a reflection of but it is fiction so therefore I know every character in there is based on a character that I have met in my life.”
He takes a quick breath and continues on “Every character is someone that I have crossed or been there. On the strength of that real life is a great story isn’t it. You look at that and think well shit did that really happen?! And its kind of the fiction side of it is just a chain of events that happen and I’m about looking at those aspects of blowing them up. But I couldn’t actually go out there and make a film about myself. I couldn’t do that someone else could but I couldn’t”.
And as quick as the interview started, it then finished!
Be sure to catch Goldie on his Australian tour:
Thu Jan 22nd, The Fracture Factory @ Home – Sydney
Fri Jan 23rd, Elementz Presents @ Hi Fi Bar – Melbourne (BUY TICKETS)
Sun Jan 25th, Beach Party @ Point Malcolm Reseve – Adelaide
Sun Jan 25th, Loaded Dice Presents @ The Office – Perth
