Friday 28 January 2011

Junia OD.


Junia @ Cosmic Boogie(warming things for Derrick Carter)

With everything slowing down and getting deeper, Junia is a breath of fresh air to see play as his tracks are full of energy and built with the dancefloor in mind. His reputation for keeping the dancefloor jackin' whilst "throwing down" along with his tight production, has lead to releases on labels such as Meltin Funk, Greenhouse, G-swing, Lostmydog and a remix that has dropped this week on Gramaphondzie's Disko Zoo. On top of these releases, Junia has had the pleasure of playing in parties from his home town Huddersfield to New York via Belgium and WMC Miami.

The crowd at Basics when Junia was playing.

I've seen Junia play a fair few times and he's never failed to tear the roof off the place, for example when he guested for us at Back to Basics when Le Bloc hosted the middle room the place felt lke an F.A. Cup final that night and any one who was at the Cosmic Boogie party last year would agree he was just as good if not better than Derrick Carter and even Carter is a fan of Junia. For me he is one of the most talented and natural DJ's in his genre.

 Junia's remix which has been released this week on DiskoZoo;

Mel Rosario - Spanish Mackerel EP by DiskoZoo Records

A couple of junia's other release's

Plank 2 (feat Meth n Red) by Junia Ovadose / Ju Ova

Junia Ovadose - The 10-45 EP (LMDX016) by Lost My Dog




We sent junia a few questions over to answer as we do here at Slow Cookin' and this is what we got back....


Tell us about how it all started and what got you into the house scene?

Similar to everyone really. I found a sound that attracted me that at the time was a Terry Hunter Tape from 1993, Ive always been the kind of guy who either loves something or hates it, Once i fell in love with it i had to explore it to the furthest degree I possibly could! I still am exploring it in fairness, I've achieved some cool stuff but theres still a long way to go! I feel lucky that my brother and friends at the time were mostly all older than me and had great taste in music, they were very much dedicated to the better releases that were coming out of the dance music world at that time so I was exposed to great DJ's and artists, I was all over it, a real fan, I could of told you what size shoe Cajmere had, and all that geeky stuff, Im still a fan, I still go to the match, only now I get a game every know and again!  

 
Who are your inspirations in the music world?

I am inspired by people who are real and the music they deliver, there are only a few people who are pretty pivotal to me in with my stream of inspiration in fairness, Im not into brown nosing these Hollywood chumps that don't deserve our time, although I like nothing more that to meet guys who I have looked up to and learned from and find them to be charming individuals who really deserve their credence! I have affection to those who stick by their guns seeing no relevance to stray from their musical beliefs, there are only a few of the big guys now who really play music that they 100% believe in, and don't just play for the dough, and  I feel guys like me owe them a lot , I feel grateful for some reason! I don't know maybe im being overly romantic about them, some of which im lucky enough to count as friends.  Can you imagine if some of the undergrounds more popular stalwarts had gone down the path that so many did of over commercialising themselves? I used to love checkin Roger Sanchez or Erick Morillo play in the early 90's but would rather burn that go to check him now! Im proud of those who relented and they have my respect! no need to name names but they know who they are to me.

 

You’ve had a lot of records out, on a number of labels. Which of your releases are you most proud of, and why?

I would say that maybe 'Whats the Damage' is one of the most beneficial to me as an artist, which was first released by my old mate Victor Simonelli on his label at the time, I think maybe its due to the diversity of DJ's that played it, I was a young guy that was very into the Chicago style of house as at that time we were in full effect of the 'sub-genre everything to death' yet what certain Dj's played became very specific yet Louie Vega & Tony Humphrey's were playing it and it led to me being asked to play on the radio in the USA and so on! It was my first release that I'd had and a decent yard stick in how things were to continue to develop!

I heard somewhere that DJ Pierre headhunted you, is this true?

I wouldn't say that is an accurate summarisation! Pierre and I DJ'd together circa 1999 - 2002, I also did a remix for Pierre of a K-Alexi Shelby track he released on his label DJP around the same time, we were in the same group of friends as at that time I spent a lot of time in the New York area so we shared some great times together, we did Miami WMC all together as a group quite a few times and did some gigs together both in the US and the UK! Head hunted makes it sound like we were brokers at Morgan Stanley! we shared great times, we have common interests and he held great knowledge for me to feed off at the time and I feel lucky that I was ask to preform with him and furthermore to remix for his label! Although you've reminded me to drop him a line not spoken to him in a while. 


 
You’ve been playing records in clubs and held residencies for a fair while now, any funny stories?

To be honest im a fairly professional guy, I take what I do as a DJ seriously, you wont hear stories of me playing poor sets due to being too drunk etc. This is my passion! This is what I do best. and I make sure I deliver as if I don't I don't want to think there was people in the club maybe on the dancefloor who could have done better, Ive been there and felt that burn, Im extremely competitive and I want people to enjoy what i do when i perform, I have my fair share of stories but do not want speak out of turn, but I wasn't the one being laughed at I can assure you! I always have great fun with the people I meet along the way and that have invited me to be their guest, I know my place, im no superstar, but without being all 'Hollywood' I can handle myself on the turntables around those that are - im just grateful im asked to go say to a country or club to perform, its one of those things that you always wish to do as a beginner in any scene, so you don't waste it when it comes!

 

What’s in the pipeline for 2011?

I take things very much as they come, But I have some boxes to tick off from the list of dreams this year thats for sure!


Quickies??

Fave record at the moment?

is it bad to say one of my own?

Fave piece of studio equipment?

 I don't have as much stuff as I used to but maybe my Focusrite Compounder, its a compressor that I run with my drum machines! beefs up the bottom end like!

Slow cookin’ or fast food?

Don't matter so long as it good food!?


Cheers junia. Some nice answers there.


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In the meantime here's a mix by junia recorded Begiums Decadance night.



Junia Ovadose Decadance Belgium Nov 2010 by Junia Ovadose / Ju Ova


You can buy junias tracks from stompy here


Or check his soundcloud



P.s Junia also ranks himself as in the top 3 in the world on fifa...if you would like to play him kindly email him and he'll give you his ps3 gamertag.

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