We recently sat down with Germany’s Brian Brainstorm to talk a little about his massively received and very well rounded release on the Liondub Presents: Street Series (LD$$VOL013). Also chatting it up about some of his influences, aspirations and thoughts on Drum and Bass/Jungle. If you have not had a chance to check out this album it is well worth a listen. Big Up Brian for taking the time to talk with us.
Best Drum and Bass: Where did you get your name name from?
Brian: From brainstorming… Many years ago I was searching for an alias and for some reason I wanted to use an alliteration. To be honest now I think I should have called myself something more catchy like Brian Storm or so but now I stick to it.
Best Drum and Bass: What is your favourite Non-DNB Artist?
Brian: Very difficult question. I love so much different styles of music. Let me choose three: Dr. Dre, Michael Jackson, Rage Against The Machine.
Best Drum and Bass: What was your first experience with Drum & Bass like and did it effect your current sound?
Brian: At the age of 11 or 12 I listened to „Circles“ by Adam F on the radio which I really liked so I bought some records by Adam F, LTJ Bukem and Roni Size, but then I fell in love with Hip Hop… So my first real experience with Drum & Bass was a outdoor party in Cologne 10 years later. The DJ played a lot of Jungle records and the vibe was amazing. So as it is very important for me today to create a good mixture of new school D’n’B and old school Jungle music, I’d say yes, my sound is definitely influenced by this situation.
Best Drum and Bass: Tell us about your recent release.
Brian: The Liondub Street Series Vol. 13 is a 5-track EP, which features some heavy Jump Up, old school Jungle vibes and a smooth roller. I just tried to produce a few tunes which represent my variety. I’m really happy with the feedback for the release and I feel honoured that artists like TC, Bladerunner and Nicky Blackmarket support this one.
Best Drum and Bass: What is your biggest thing you are most thankful for to date in your music career?
Brian: In the past years I met a few people who helped me with my career which I’m really thankful for. For example as I started spinning tunes my friends from the „Bassliebe“ crew in Cologne soon gave me the opportunity to play out live and a few months later I became a resident DJ at their club nights so I gained a lot of experiences very early. For me it’s the most important thing to constantly move forward you know. But I wouldn’t be able to keep it moving if I hadn’t a few good friends who always support me.
Best Drum and Bass: Who are your Top 5 current Drum & Bass artists?
Brian: Upgrade and Voltage are absolutely killing it at the moment without any doubt. Did they actually collab on a track yet? I guess the result would be a game changing monster! And I really like the new longplayers by Break, Potential Badboy and DJ Hybrid.
New Jungle sounds from Brian Brainstorm “HAND INNA DI AIR VIP” forthcoming on Digital Roots UK
Best Drum and Bass: If you could collab with any artist, of any genre / style, who would it be and why?
Brian: I’d love to spend some time in the studio with people like Quincy Jones or Dr. Dre but apart from the fact that it’s totally utopistic I guess I would just be sitting there being amazed of their work so that wouldn’t be a collab. 😉 If I had the chance to work with vocalists like Johnny Osbourne, Demolition Man or Top Cat I’d be totally happy. I think I should work towards reaching this goal.
Best Drum and Bass: What’s your favorite sound / sample / bassline in Drum & Bass culture and its classics?
Brian: you know that I’m a big fan of old school airhorns, lickshots, lasers and stuff. I’ve got a collection of 3 GB of these sounds. Created with plugins like Lithium rastabox as well as sampled material. So it’s really hard to pick a favorite. When it comes to basslines I’d say nothing beats a good old Reece.
Best Drum and Bass: Tell us about the strangest / most embarrassing experience you’ve had before, during or after a show.
Brian: A lot of strange things happen when I’m playing out. From inappropriate requests by weird drunken people who don’t care about my “I’m currently mixing, can’t speak to you” signs to situations where I drank too much and I pull out the wrong USB stick and the emergency loop starts… haha.
Best Drum and Bass: Where do you see / hope to see the sound of Drum & Bass evolving to in the next few years?
Brian: There are a lot of people who are ranting against the international mainstream success of people like Sigma, Chase & Status etc. But I think it just can be good when more and more people listen to Drum & Bass influenced sounds. But especially these two bands once produced a few badass Jungle tunes back in the days so why not try to spread the Jungle vibes to the world? I mean they could reach a lot of people now.
Best Drum and Bass: What is one tip you would like to give to aspiring Drum & Bass artists?
Brian: If you want to produce strictly Drum & Bass for the clubs you should start DJing as soon as possible to get instant feedback. Try to mix down your newest tune the best possible way and play it out and watch the crowd. And please don’t send your demos to one of the thousands of shitty labels out there just to get a release. Trust me it will be worth the wait if you practice for many years and then send your tunes to professional labels.
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Buy Link: http://bit.ly/1FN6Wsc
Soundcloud – http://bit.ly/1OMy0L7
Cologne’s Brian Brainstorm rolls out 5 massive Jungle Drum & Bass tracks for Volume 13 of Liondub’s infamous Street Series. Since his start in the production game, Brainstorm has left an indelible mark and has received wide-ranging support from the likes of Paul van Dyk, Downlink, Kenny Ken, Ray Keith, Heist, Jayline, Logan D and Jungle leaders like Serial Killaz and Marcus Visionary. By crafting and combining authentic Oldskool and NuSchool Jungle flavors with smashing Jump Up patterns, tight vocals and FX magic, Brainstorm produces rock solid tunes that are guaranteed to make noise on the streets, on radio, and in the clubs everytime.
