Music Industry Tips an interview with dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip

dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip’s music industry tips have been revealed as drum ‘n’ bass/hip-hop massive have been talking to Live and Unsigned ahead of Live Fest.

dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip in London

English Hip-hop act dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip will play in London for Live Fest, bringing their electronic beats and rhymes to London’s biggest indoor festival which is set to take The O2 by storm on July 23^rd 2011.

dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip Music Industry Success

Hip-hop duo dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip are Daniel Stephens (aka dan le sac; production, programming, keyboards, guitars and backing vocals), and David Peter Meads (aka Scroobius Pip; vocals/rapper). They shot to fame when their first single Thou Shalt Always Kill became an online phenomenon, attracting more than 2.5 million YouTube hits.

Dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip on The Music Industry

L&U:The last few years have been crazy for you. Did you always know you were going to be a performer?

Pip:Not really. From day one I’ve been lucky. Thou Shalt Always Kill was the first thing we did, it went into the top 40 and was a massive YouTube success with 2.5 million views. From then on there was a bit of pressure to keep releasing singles but we didn’t want to rush into a commercial approach. We wanted to tour and build a fan base.

L&U: You were performing alone before teaming up with dan le sac. Are you happier having a partner?

Pip:Yes it’s great. It’s really good fun. We’ve toured together for four years now so we’re getting used to each other.

L&U: Do you often fall out?

Pip:No not really. I’m very laid back, Dan gets stressed on the road but we don’t clash heads, we just take it out on the other people on the tour!

L&U:As you say, you built up a massive YouTube following in your early days. How important is it to build your own fan base?

Pip:Hugely important. From day one before we had a label or management we did it all ourselves and it made us see how hands-on we could be and how easy it was to interact with people on there. We were up for an award for online interaction and for building our fans alongside people like Kylie Minogue who obviously has a much wider audience. The support we’ve gained has been ridiculous.

dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip Music Promotion Tips

L&U:Has social networking made it easier to get your stuff out there, but perhaps harder to be successful?

Pip:Yes, it’s a double-edged sword. It’s changed music hugely but it’s hard to say if it’s made it easier or harder to get your stuff noticed. There are pros and cons but luckily we came up with the whole MySpace boom when everyone was using it. We were at a time when people were open to that. On Facebook now there are so many videos floating about that it’s becoming saturated.

L&U:People went mad for your first album Angles, did that put added pressure on expectations of you?

Pip:Not really - because of the way we did it. We didn’t feel pressure because Angles was an album rather than a collection of singles. Because of that there wasn’t as much commercial expectation.

L&U:Your work is seen by many as very poetic and often political. What’s your writing technique? Do you sit down with the intention of writing or does it just come to you?

Pip:I must have a-hundred saved text messages at any one time - I always save messages on my phone noting words and lines I might use. But sometimes I sit down with an idea and work it through. Normally though it needs to be more fluid.

L&U: So you’re playing Live Fest, London’s biggest indoor festival. Does that excite you?

Pip:Definitely. It’s our only London show pretty much all year. We’re looking forward to playing to our London fans again. Last time we played Shepherd’s Bush it was rammed out so hopefully we’ll get some of those people and a new audience as well who are coming to see the other bands.

L&U: Which market would you put yourself in? Is it hip-hop, drum ‘n’ bass or something else?

Pip:It’s hard - I don’t think we are hip-hop, I don’t think we’re anything. It’s good not to fit in to anything though because we can be ourselves. We wanted to do Live Fest because even though we’re off festivals this summer this is a chance to play for loads of fans who wouldn’t be our usual audience. It’ll be different to be amongst the likes of N-Dubz. We don’t want to always sit in a comfort zone. On the first album we had a song called Fixed which was basically about our dislike of the UK hip-hop industry. Then we were asked to do a set at Lethal Bizzle’s album launch. So we played the song there which was strange but a great experience. I like that variation.

Music Industry Tips

L&U: What was your big break?

Pip:It was weird I was doing solo stuff and working in a record shop to save up money. I was touring in a van when I met dan le sac in Reading and he wanted to mix a couple of songs for me. It all happened from there really. I’d told myself when I was touring alone that I had enough money to try and make it happen for a year and if it didn’t work then I’d have to get a proper job. Then exactly a year on we released Thou Shalt Always Kill and it all happened from there. There’s so much luck involved. But then I was always at open mic nights so a lot of hard work went into it too. I went to pretty much all the open mic nights in London and people got to know me pretty well. So it was a combination of luck and old-fashioned hard work. It’s so easy to just try and do it on the internet these days but you can’t rely on it.

L&U: How should acts get their name out there?

Pip:In every way possible. It’s a good idea to send people home with something from your gigs. It’s so cheap to get CD’s or flyers done. If they enjoy the gig there’s a good chance they’ll forget who you are by the time they’ve got home. When they wake up and sober up if they’ve got something to remind them of the gig then they’ll follow it up. You’ve got to grab their attention. There are so many bands out there you’re competing with.

L&U: Where should acts perform to get recognised?

Pip:Play anywhere and everywhere. When I was trying to get noticed there was no spoken word scene but I tried to build a scene. You can always be inventive - put on nights in pubs that don’t have anything on. It’s so easy to try and use the internet as a tool but you need to get out there as well. It’s rare that you make tonnes of money immediately you have to be patient.

L&U: What do you think makes an act stand out when it comes to live performance?

Pip:You’ve got to enjoy it. Simple as that. If you enjoy yourself on stage there’s a good chance the crowd will enjoy it too.

L&U:What successful ingredient do you see in acts that make it?

Pip:It’s so hard to define. There’s no rule. It’s easy to say it’s about individuality, character and talent but that’s not always the case. Everyone got excited when Lilly Allen came along because she was different and she was a new market but then people like Kate Nash and Adele arrived who are just as good if not better. It’s really hard to put a finger on what helps you make it.

Dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip on Live and Unsigned

L&U:How important are competitions like Live and Unsigned?

Pip:They’re really good for getting you a good run of gigs in front of important people. It gets you out there but it’s just one thing, you need to be doing a lot alongside it. Live and Unsigned is great for giving you the chance to play in front of industry people and it’s good that it’s not the X-Factor. It’s real world stuff and is about what sounds good and what works.

L&U:Any top tips for acts performing?

Pip:Enjoy it. Don’t feel the pressure. Don’t think about the occasion. A year ago it was a dream to be playing The O2 so regardless of whether you win, enjoy it and put things into perspective before you go out there.

Dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip Live Music Performance tips

L&U:You’ve played some amazing gigs and festivals. Who’s the best act you’ve shared a stage with?

Pip:We did a show with De La Soul just after we’d worked with Pos from the group. I’d say them because of the way they work the stage and get the crowd going.

L&U:Best festival played at?

Pip:There’s so many to mention. Fuji Rock in Japan is amazing - you have to climb rocks and mountains to get to the gig. Glasto and Reading are brilliant festivals as well but overall Bestival takes it. There’s always an amazing atmosphere and vibe even though it’s a more intimate event then the others I’ve mentioned.

L&U:Who’s your favourite band/group?

Pip:That’s a tough one. At the moment MC wise there’s a rapper called P.O.S in America. Elsewhere the most exciting group at the moment for me is Odd Future who’s polarising crowds, people either love them or hate them but there’s a real energy and buzz about them.

L&U:Best gig ever been to?

Pip:I saw Public Enemy at Brixton Academy. It was insane. Most groups end with their strongest song but they went straight into Bring the Noise. We’d been waiting for ages and when the siren started for Bring the Noise everyone lost their s**t and went crazy!

L&U: Any acts under the radar that you are tipping for success?

Pip:Sound of Rum are bubbling around. They’ve been doing festival sets and steal every show they play coming away with more fans every time. Their album is just out and lyrically Kate Tempest the front woman is amazing. She came up through the battle-rap scene. She has really raw lyrics and it’s great stuff.

Don’t miss dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip at Live Fest, London’s biggest indoor festival taking The O2 by storm on July 23^rd. Buy tickets here www.livefest.co.uk

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