Who would have thought that drum n’ bass and barbequed sangers would have made for such a great combination? The ForeignDub collective can take full credit for conjuring up such a fantastic idea. Their DNBBQ parties are one of Sydney’s most loved sources of drum n’ bass and dub (not to mention culinary delights), and as they prepare to drop their own mix compilation they’ll be embarking on a national tour.
The DNBBQ compilation will feature 28 tracks of dub, grime, hip hop, dancehall and of course, all the different and delightful flavours of drum n’ bass. And along with international guest Big Bud they’ll be showing the rest of the country how they roll (or cook, perhaps). With the tour in full swing, ITM talks to ForeignDub.
What’s your name?
Patto.
What was the first record that you owned?
It was actually a Dyewitness single… opps…
What do you in ForeignDub, do you MC or DJ?
I like to think that I DJ… But in my mind I’m a full-time MC :)
What is your DJ speciality?
Mixing the right tunes I hope… And making sure we don’t get on the red!
Where do you stand on stage? What does everyone else do, and where are they?
Right behind the decks… We have the girls in front on the mic, because they look much better and have more talent!
What is on the BBQ at DNBBQ? What is the meat and what is it served with? And how is it like Asada?
You mean ASADO? It’s the South American style of BBQ. It’s all pretty straight forward, but I cant tell too much… You have to come out and taste it! Just for the record though, vegetarians are always catered for.
How did the DNBBQ get a Sydney Morning Herald ‘Good Food Guide’ review?
I have no idea… We didn’t even know they were there to review it, but a week after a party, there it was. Three and a half stars! Rockin’!
What did the review say?
They liked the way the meat was served and they dug the atmosphere… I think. We were pretty surprised actually. Not that we though our food wasn’t worth it, but that they turned up and listened to the beats for long enough.
How many BBQs did you have at home before you thought of the idea to have a DNBBQ? Who thought of it?
We’ve been doing this for over 4 years or so, which makes it very hard to remember (if you’ve been to one you’d know why), but I guess it was a combined idea. There’s no real ownership in the concept. I mean, its just beats, meats and mean bass… But I guess it comes down to how we deliver it.
Who cooks at DNBBQ? Is there a celebrity English chef from Bondi? Where is the (celebrity) chef from?
No, no celebrities… Just a few guys who love music, love a good healthy dose of bass and iron in their diet. Though we did make a mean ‘Big Bud’ chilli sauce up in Byron, after Big Bud’s request. It had quite a kick!
What do people do when they are at the DNBBQ? Do they congregate around the BBQ? Paint a picture of the movement at the DNBBQ events?
Hmm, no. They usually eat what we feed them, drink plentifully and dance to some of the best local sounds, as far as bass-driven music is concerned. Painting IS allowed though… Sure, why not?
Where will the BBQ be at Sydney’s The Metro? How will that event run?
I have no idea.. The logistics of that still haven’t been worked out… and that’s the beauty of our crew. Things just seem to take shape as they grow. Which is nice to know, especially when you have no idea!
What do people say to you about the events? Do they think it’s healthier to eat at dance music events?
Most do… I mean, everyone knows that it’s better to drink on a full stomach! Most people dig the idea. It’s an easy concept to warm up to since it almost seems like a giant house party with no expenses spared. I think it keeps the vibe intimate and chilled, no matter how many people we fit in the place!
What is drunk at the events? What brand of beer or other alcohol is sold?
Drink whatever poison you prefer… But drink responsibly. My weapon of choice is either tequilla or gin!
How does the lineup of the events set the mood of the day? And what time does it start and end?
It usually starts at 4pm… Though it will be different at the Sydney Metro gig on the December 7th. But the music sets the mood at all times, especially in the beer garden. The music follows the cooking process – nice and slow and building into the evening.
Are the most well known acts at the top of the lineup? What time does Foreign Dub play?
Well, usually it is. But to be honest, I do most of the design and when a name is too short, I usually drop them down, just for design purposes. So if you’re an up-and-coming DJ/MC, make sure your name’s long!
Big Bud from the UK has joined you for all the shows of this tour – who knew them? When did you first meet those guys? What’s the story?
Well… THEM is HIM… Just a one man show! ‘Mr Nice Guy’, as he’s known in the DnB circle. But don’t give him too many Foxy Browns in a row, or you may live to regret it. He’s an amazing producer, who’s been around long enough to know that it really is all about the music, but not only that – it’s also the people around it. His sets so far have been incredible.
How did you choose the order of the songs on the CD? Was there a DJ concept like beat mixing, or were you trying to separate the styles?
It’s a little bit like that, except that it’s more about the progression of the overall CD that’s involved, plus you have to consider that the CD will be heard in a car drive, or a bus stop or at home… So it’s similar, but different… We did separate styles in the sense that we kept all the DnB stuff on one CD, but the amount of songs that we had sort of presented us with that choice.
Did you definitely make a decision of where you’d put the Foreign Dub track? What about The Versionaires? Or Big Bud?
Hmm… We tried to fit it in nicely with the rest of them… Hope that works out! But in saying that, we made a decision with all of the songs.
How would you describe CD1 and CD2?
CD 1… COOKED!! Well done in fact.
CD 2… Fresh and good as a snack at anytime!
This is just about the slowest tour schedule that I’ve ever seen, you must be able to look around at the sights? Why is there so much time in between gigs?
Well… Actually, I’d like to say that yes, we all get to hang around and smell the roses along the way, but we’re all busy trying to hold up 9 to 5 jobs during the week. Luckily, Big Bud is in no rush!
So why are these cities chosen for the tour? Why not go to Perth? Tasmania? Brisbane?
Well… It all comes downs to cash and availability unfortunately, AND timetable. We want to avoid doing parties other than Saturdays, and some of the cities, we just cannot budget for. Not this tour anyway, but in the near future.
Consider for a moment the possibility that your new CD should fall into the hands of a promoter. What three drum n’ bass acts on there would you choose, which ones deserve a break?
There’s lots of talent in the CD, I think, anyway, and that’s why we HAD to make the CD a double. But ultimately, music is a very subjective art so what we may like might not be appreciated by others. Having said that, Miso, Versionaries, Rastawookie, Ritual and Semper Fi should be kept an eye on!
The DNBBQ compilation is available later this month through Inertia, and you can taste the DNBBQ experience at the following shows…
Sat Nov 24th: Adelaide, Crown & Sceptre
Fri Dec 7th: Sydney, The Metro Theatre
Wanna know more about DNBBQ? Check out the clip below…
