The Dopest Ghost in Town.
2010 is the year of dubstep. It’s everywhere, influencing all genres, all scenes and all things rave…
Pioneering this movement is a handful of dutty dubstep-ists, dedicated to driving new sounds forward and dropping tunes so bassy they’ll give you motion sickness. Amongst them is DJ, producer, label owner and former basketball star, Caspa.
In between shooting his new music video in LA and jetting off to play in Ibiza, we grabbed some time with the man himself to find out just how it feels at the top.
Introduce yourself!
Hi i’m Caspa, a.k.a Gary MCann from West London.
What were your early musical influences? How did you first get into the dubstep scene?
Jungle and hardcore were huge when I was at primary school. I had a Brockie One Nation tape that I listened to so much it snapped and my granddad had to fix it with sellotape! That was the first time I heard real bass music.
As a teenager, I didn’t really go raving though. I was big into basketball, and was even selected for the England squad. Training was tough so I couldn’t go out drinking. But at 18 I had to give it up due to injury, which is when I re-discovered my passion for music and focused on that instead.
I bought shit decks with my first dole money, and started practicing, practicing, practicing. Then I found the dubstep night FWD, and instantly knew this was the sound I’d been looking for.
I bought a set of really shit Gemini, belt-drive decks for about £300 with an overdraft and my first bit of dole money! Then borrowed some records and just started practicing, practicing, practicing. That’s when I discovered the night FWD. I used to be really into garage, but when I heard the tunes they were playing there I instantly knew this was my vibe, the sound I’d been looking for. Dark and bass heavy like jungle, but not too champagne cheesy like 2-step.
So I started trying to make music like that and swapping it with other DJ’s so they’d play ‘em out. The tunes got noticed and eventually I was given a radio slot on Rinse FM, where I could get them some air play. And that’s where it all started really...
Where did the name Caspa come from?
Um, there was a crazy character in the film ‘Kids’ called Caspa, with a wicked sample of him drunk & singing. I used that in one of my first Caspa tunes.
I’ve also got a lot of black friends who used to call me ‘grey boy’ cos I’m so pasty. I could’ve used that I suppose but there were no cool ‘grey boy’ samples! So I ended up rolling with Caspa. It’s been pretty catchy, and it got me ‘the dopest ghost’ nickname. It means I get a lot of Halloween gigs too!
How did you link up with Rusko?
Rusko was one of the first artists I signed to my Dub Police label in 2004.
He moved down from Leeds, we started DJing together and made a few tunes. Then we got the opportunity to do Fabric Live 37, which became the first ever commercial dubstep album.
There was actually already a Fabric Live 37 mixed by Justice ready to go, but they pulled the plug on it last minute cos it wasn’t edgy enough. So we only had 48 hours to hand in the mastered live mix from scratch. Fabric is known for pushing things forward, so big respect to them for taking that risk on us – but it paid off. And gave us the boost we needed.
So that’s how Rusko and I hooked up. Then he moved to LA to be with his missus, and I stayed here. But he’s pretty much doing just what I’m doing here but in the sunshine. Touring and producing in the studio.
Dubstep’s been heralded the ‘Sound of 2010’, and you’ve been one of the key figures in its development and success. It must be an exciting time?
It’s definitely been a massive year for the scene, and it’s nice to be at the forefront of it you know? I’ve worked so hard for years and it’s finally paid off.
It’s weird cos now I’m playing next to people I used to look up to, or even headlining above them. A dubstep DJ never would’ve had the opportunity to do that in the past. Like at Sonar festival I was playing to 65,000 people on the main stage in between Dizzee Rascal and the Chemical Brothers. It’s mad.
Dubstep is amazing at the moment. It’s so varied, there’s no particular sound that defines it and it feels like we can do anything within it. Something quite trancey, or something like my new track with Mr Hudson that’s quite uplifting, housey almost. But it still retains that dirtiness.
And because it’s got such huge crossover potential, it’s given a massive lift to the dance music industry as a whole. It’s changed the way people are thinking about music, mixing music and making music across all genres. Like the whole half time drum & bass stuff and drumstep – whatever that is! Even house DJ’s are putting bigger bass-lines under their tracks, and changing their drum beats to half-step.
I mean, I’ve done stuff for Ludacris, Swedish House Mafia, Deadmau5, you know? It’s mad how much everyone’s getting influenced by this music. Huge artists too.
It’s really unified dance music and made promoters more open-minded too. They’re suddenly realising they can book all kinds of different DJ’s for nights. They can mix it up cos it all sounds great together.
There’s always gonna be people from the underground scene complaining that it’s not how it used to be, that dubstep’s got too commercial. But the bottom line is that we’ve always wanted this music to get heard, and that’s what we’re doing. So if that means it’s getting popular, isn’t that what we always wanted?
Your album title, Everybody’s Talking, Nobody’s Listening, suggests some cynicism about the scene. Can you explain the background to this?
That album for me was really important, because I wanted it to be properly underground. It doesn’t sound like any of the stuff I’m producing now, it’s dark and deep. I didn’t want it to be a massive selling album, just steady cos now there’s no over-inflated hype.
As the scene’s got bigger, it’s always felt like everyone’s got something to say about it. People are always talking, talking, talking. Forget dubstep for moment, but within music in general you can be a megastar just because people are talking about you on YouTube, Facebook and Myspace – even if no one’s ever seen you play! It’s all hype. It’s all talk. We forget sometimes that when you take that away, what’s left? The music. And it’s all about the music because if we don’t have good music, we don’t have anything. That’s what my album cover was about, with the tape held across my mouth so it could do the talking instead of me.
Where do you see dubstep going next?
It’s definitely got legs. It’s been going for nearly ten years and is just part dance music’s progression - from hardcore, drum & bass, jungle, garage, 2-step, and then grime. What differentiates dubstep from garage is that people at the forefront of the scene really care about longevity and quality. We care about how something sounds and don’t flood the market with average stuff. I don’t release all that much music, but when I do I make sure it’s good. That’s what it’s about. You can’t stop shit music getting out there – and there’re a lot of shit dubstep producers - but the main guys are all about quality over quantity. And I think that’s gonna be the difference that helps dubstep survive.
And unlike garage, you can go to a rave and there’s no trouble. That was what killed garage, all the trouble and gangs that went with it. You go to a rave now, and it’s almost more girls than guys! It used to be a total sausage fest back in the day, but now girls are into it too, there’s more vocals involved, and it’s just a really good, friendly vibe. I think if you can capture that and keep it, and the main guys keep putting out quality tunes, then it’s gonna survive and get even stronger.
In America I can see dubstep becoming one of the biggest music phenomenons ever. It’s huuuuuuge, huge, huge out there. The kids are crazy for it. I played the House of Blues last year, on Sunset Bvd in LA and there were loads of A&R’s there because it’s a venue where people like Alicia Keyes usually play. And they were like, who’s this guy from London? What’s this he’s playing? Pubstep?! But all the kids were going crazy! The A&R’s can’t understand it.
It’s changing the way hip hop artist’s are making music too. I’ve just been hit up with some remix and collaboration requests for some huge hip hop artists. I mean massive. Lil John’s just done a dubstep tune with Diplo and Rusko’s done Britney Spears’ new single for fuck’s sake!
There’ll definitely be a number one dubstep track in the States, 100%. It’s on the cards. Honestly, people like Chase & Status are doing great things. And then you’ve got Magnetic Man (as a group) and Benga & Skream individually, you’ve got myself and Rusko. All of us are making really good music. It’s not boasting, it’s just good music you know? And that’s why I can see it becoming a dominant genre. I mean pop music sounds like a bad word for credible musicians, but all it means in it’s true sense is music that’s popular. And I think dubstep is going to be very, very popular! But still retain it’s real underground status and grimy sceney side too.
Tell us about the new track, Love Never Dies (Back for the first time)? How did the collaboration with Mr Hudson come about?
Well it started as an instrumental track called Back for the first time. I was working with Mr Hudson over here on some stuff for his new album. He loved it, vocalled it and the other tune we’d worked on got pushed to the side.
Back for the first time made the radio 1 playlist, so I’m hoping it’ll do great things as a vocal. At first I was pretty reluctant to do it. It’s a bit clichéd, everyone does it. But then I heard it and loved it – the vocal fit the track so well, and didn’t overpower it or vice versa so I just decided to go with it. Mr Hudson’s a good artist, he’s hot at the moment, so I think it’s a good link-up, a good collaboration. It’s out on August 16.
I’ve literally just got back from shooting the video in LA. It’s my first video so I’m quite excited.
What have you got planned for the coming year?
It’s festival season at the moment. I’ve just played a bunch of them in America. I’m going to Ibiza tomorrow, then Creamfields, back to Ibiza to play Space at the end of August with Fake Blood, SW4 in London. Err then another 2 week tour in the States. I’m playing like 12 cities in 2 weeks! Then Bestival. Just all the festival stuff.
In between all that I’m trying to get in the studio and write a new album. There’s a bunch of writers I really wanna work with, a couple of vocalists, some UK artists. I wanna do some really underground and dark shit, really aggro.
So the main thing is just touring and putting out a new album for March 2011. And then… rock & roll! Partying and drinking. But that’s a while off, my next break’s in Jan 2011. I’m not complaining though, it’s good being busy.
And for the label?
Label-wise, we’ve got loads going on. The Dub police nights at Fabric are continuing for 2011 with 6 booked in already. One of them’s gonna be a takeover where we do all 3 rooms, I think it’s planned for March or April.
And then Emalkay is doing an album for us, we’ve got another My Style cd being mixed by D1 and singles from Subscape and D1. As well as developing all the artists and bringing them through the ranks!
It sounds really biased but the guys on the label are just amazing. Subscape, a really young guy I’m working with is on fire – he’s making SUCH good music. Kinda like Sub Focus-y, that kind of sound but in dubstep. Upbeat with great riffs and some vocals in there. D1’s doing some amazing stuff too.
What are your top 5 tracks at the moment?
My remix of Swedish House Mafia – One
Katy B & Benga – Katy on a Mission
Emalkay - Crusader
The Others – Say to you
Subscape – All day
What’s your proudest moment to date?
I’ve got a touching one involving my dad. He told some younger guys at work that Caspa was his son. They didn’t believe him at first, then he brought in a bunch of signed stuff and they were gob-smacked. Now they’re always asking him for Fabric guestlist, he’s a legend! That was wicked, to know he’s proud to be my dad.
Other than that, another really special one was playing at Sonar in between Dizzee and the Chemical Brothers. I never get nervous before sets, but I was a little bit nervous before this one. It was massive and felt like a real milestone.
So I suppose those two moments from different ends of the spectrum. Sonar and my dad. A family one and a personal achievement!
Funniest moment?
Ha it involves my dad again. He came to one of our Dub Police nights when David Rodigan was playing. Rodigan pulled him up onto the stage and he went crazy, raving and squirting drinks all over the crowd while Rodigan was screaming ‘make some noise for Caspa’s dad!’ Hilarious.
Another time my dad came out on stage again at my birthday bash in Bristol. They brought out a massive cake spelling ‘C A S P A’. My dad got up there and started chucking the cake around into the crowd. Rock & roll or what?
Afterwards I was standing with my mum & dad outside and loads of people kept coming up to my dad asking ‘are you Caspa’s dad? Can I get a photo?’ I was there taking photos of my fans with my dad! They weren’t interested in me at all. My dad was loving it, getting way too involved.
Most embarrassing moment?
On a US tour recently, I was knackered cos we’d been getting on it every night. We were about 5 cities in, in Minnesota. I have a habit of getting on the mic during my sets. This time I took it and shouted ‘What’s happening Utah?!’ and everyone just stopped cheering and starred at me with such disgust. I was sooo embarrassed, went bright red. My MC was shouting at me to shut the hell up. God, I’m meant to know where I’m playing, it sounded like I didn’t care at all!
Another one was falling down the stairs in Eden, Ibiza. But I was just Gary that day, another stupid drunk guy from England.
Who’s your secret crush?
Ummm, I don’t have one actually. When I was younger I used to fancy those two twins off Fun House with Pat Sharpe. I’ve outgrown that crush now though, no idea what they look like anymore – probably pretty rank!
Finally, can you tell us anything that might surprise us?
Ha there’s one thing I’ve never ever told anyone... okay, when I was younger I owned a My Little Pony. A yellow one with a blue tail, which I’d groom with a special brush.
My mates would come round with their footballs wanting to play boy-stuff, and I’d rock up with a My Little Pony! Fuck, I can’t believe I told you that. It’s a running joke in my family.
For the record, I’m not that way inclined. I like ladies and did eventually move on to transformers…
A HUGE thank you to Capsa for taking the time to meet with us.
For more info and to find out when you can catch Caspa live, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.myspace.com/caspadubstep" www.myspace.com/caspadubstep
Celia Garforth
