Low Budget

Recently Low Budget dropped their second-LP, Laserdisc. It is one of the most intriguing release of 2009 thus far. Producer Debonair P has chosen to explore uncharted territory on the beat-front with a strong infusion of formidable 80’s basslines and boogie rhythms. Anyone expecting another Magnasound was in for a surprise. Gentleman Gene’s verses epitomise consistency as he naturally excels over P’s classy beats.

Obviously the first thing punters and critics alike have noticed about Laserdisc is the novel style of P’s beats. Many try to definitively describe this with a tedious set of adjectives. How would you guys describe what you have created?
Debonair P: The main thing that people hopefully get from the album is that it’s cohesive and something we had fun recording. Hopefully people don’t have to skip any tracks when they’re listening to it too.

Was this always the direction you were going to take from the outset?
DP: Pretty much – we’d already been playing versions of some of the songs that ended up on Laserdisc at around the time that we were launching Magnasound in 2006. So when it came time to start thinking about another album we were both on the same page about what kind of flavour we were going for. Initially we were both a little wary about how it would translate in the recording process, but once we started it all came together fairly easily.

Much has been said of this interesting sound with an almost rampant enthusiasm but have you received any negative feedback thus far?
Gentleman Gene: The new sound maybe threw people who were expecting a similar sound to the last album at first, but on the whole everyone seems to be digging it. Even the people who aren’t really feeling the direction we went in seem to appreciate the fact that we’ve tried something different and the way we’ve approached it. On the whole, we’ve been really happy with the way it’s been received by listeners, the press, radio etc.

Is the simple quest for originality the primary motive behind this gravitation away from the jazzy foundations of Magnasound?
DP: Not really. It’s true to some degree that we didn’t want to rehash the same thing we’d done on Magnasound, but it was more the case that I was just listening to different records(i.e funk and disco instead of jazz and soul) and that came through in a lot of the beats that we ended up running with.

How did you embark on this shift? Is it as simple as digging in different crates? Or is there more to it?
DP: I don’t think I made a conscious shift in the way I produced the tracks for Laserdisc as opposed to the beats on Magnasound. In fact, some of the songs on Laserdisc (such as Hit the Key, Freak Mystique and Black Tie Affair) I’d had sitting around since we were recording Magnasound. If there was any difference in my approach at all, it was just that I stopped thinking about how easy it would be for Gene to rap over the beats-which I guess is what led to some of the tracks being a fair bit faster than a lot of the hip hop that’s out at the moment.

There’s a definite contrast between Magnasound and Laserdisc in that the former was recorded over a five year period without a definite vision. Having changed this with Laserdisc, which method do you prefer?
GG: Laserdisc was a lot more fun for us to record because we had a better idea about what we were doing in the studio and what we wanted to achieve. A big difference this time around was having deadlines to finish the album which was a positive thing because it made us really focus on the project and not procrastinate about it. There’s no way we could have made Magnasound in the same timeframe because a lot of that album was really about learning and developing our skills – all the time we spent working on the first album made this one a lot faster.

Was there any change to the sampling and recording process in the studio or do you prefer to keep things simple, that which is tried and tested?
Debonair P: We recorded the vocals for Laserdisc in a professional studio, instead of doing it bedroom-style like we’d done on Magnasound and the mixtape. Everything else was pretty much the same though-all the production, mixing etc was done in my home studio with the same equipment I’ve been using for a while. I’ve never felt limited with the equipment I own so I’ve never seen the need to upgrade. Plus I’d much rather spend my money on records instead of studio gear.

“…Even the people who aren’t really feeling the direction we went in seem to appreciate the fact that we’ve tried something different and the way we’ve approached it…”

Did a sense of accomplishment following the success of Magnasound allow a far greater creative scope?
GG: Not really, the way we approached this album came more from not wanting to repeat ourselves as opposed to being a response to any success we had with Magnasound.

Another intriguing attribute present throughout Laserdisc is a really jovial, almost throwback-type lyrical atmosphere. Was this something intended to neatly accompany the bass-heavy, boogie rhythms?
Gene, do you feel a healthy sense of is an important ingredient in your verses? Does it contribute to replay value?
GG: I don’t really set out to write humorous lyrics, but it’s always a good thing to put smiles on peoples’ faces. The lyrics I write are a reflection of who I am, so my style of humour is going to come through regardless. I try to write lyrics that sit well with the beat, both with rhythm and pattern, and also with a theme or topic that suits the beat. As for replay value, I have always found both lyrics and production with some degree of humour very engaging.

Your lyrics on Laserdisc take a conceptual course on 2082. What compelled you to explore this peculiar direction? Were you simply inspired to present your own, unique vision of the future? Is there a closet Blade Runner fan in MC Gentleman Gene?
GG: The beat for 2082 has a dark futuristic sound to it, but it still sounds like it’s stuck in the 80’s. I have always been interested in how different periods in cinema have had there own distinct style and vision of what the future will be like. I grew up in the 80’s, so that version of the future has really stuck with me. Debonair laced off the track with some killer cuts!

Since Magnasound, you also slightly adapted your monikers from Genetik and Polarity to Gentleman Gene and Debonair P respectively. Are these aliases intended to compliment the music with a subtle sense of swagger?
GG: Nope. We just thought the new names were funny so we changed them!

Often there is an overbearing level of anticipation and hype surrounding a second LP, do you feel the brushes of originality are a means of countering this all-too-often detrimental trend?
DP: I don’t know, I didn’t feel like there was a whole bunch of anticipation or hype surrounding Laserdisc, so that didn’t really impact the creation of the album. The main thing for me has always been to come up with something that I’m happy with personally, as opposed to trying to second-guess myself about what listeners are going to think when they hear it.

Do you feel that avoiding guestspots on the album contributes to an even higher level of cohesion and playability?
GG: To an extent. We were confident enough about our own abilities not to have to rely on other guests. Another thing we noticed was that a lot of hip hop acts really push their feature MC’s and producers as a selling point when marketing their albums – we’d much rather be responsible for the album’s success or failure ourselves.

Low Budget have already forged such an idiosyncratic path in the local scene, all within the span of a mixtape and two LP’s. Can you describe your aspirations for the future, both in a short and long-term sense?
GG: We’re just sitting back at the moment seeing how well this album does, we’re not thinking too much about the future at this point. We’re both enjoying a bit of time off from recording and are focussing on improving our live shows.

Is there a tour or any interstate shows planned at this point?
GG: Definitely, just trying to organise it all at the moment-we’ll hopefully be able to hit a few other cities in May. We’re always busy in Melbourne though.

http://www.myspace.com/lowbudgetmusic

Briggs

Briggs has been advancing his name recently after releasing his debut EP, Homemade Bombs as well as touring with The Funkoars. The explosive EP features production from Jaytee, Trials and 76. The first taste of the fiery Victorian MC leaves a lasting impression. More new music can be expected in the coming months when Briggs drops his debut LP, The Gospel According To Briggs.

How long have you been rapping for now and how did you get into it originally?
I started doing the rap thing when I was a teenager. Me and my boys did our best to insult each other over Dr. Dre instrumentals. But I’ve been into hip hop all my life, my brother showed me my first stuff, Naughty By Nature, Public Enemy and LL. My cousins showed me the more grimy shit and I was into it because it was packed with swear words. I grew up on gangsta rap, I love it and it is still what I listen to mostly. I just find it more entertaining than some cunt having a good old cry about how the world bank started a potato famine and now he can’t get a girlfriend. I got my own problems so I’d much rather have a laugh.

Can you give me a brief description of how Homemade Bombs came to be?
Well I was just throwing tracks down in the Stronghorn Studios. I had Jaytee, Trials and 76 helping me out with production and recording. I was working towards an album, but i got impatient and felt that I’d been around in the traps too long to not have something out. So I had 6 or 7 tracks and picked the best 5 and made the Homemade Bombs EP. Suffa believed in it so he helped me get it all together. DJ Adfu(Sniperspot) and Reflux(Flashlight) did the massive friendship maneuver and did an amazing job of mastering it for me. And here we are, I’m puttin’ in the footwork and we’re moving some units.

It’s definitely a banger from start to finish. Is it intended to grab audience’s attention as an explosive precursor to your debut LP, The Gospel According To Briggs?
All I tried to do was make the best shit that I could and that I wanted to listen to. Along the way maybe punch the proverbial cunt or two in the face with a massive overhand-rap-hook. I just like that kind of M.O.P. style hardcore shit. I like that stuff, I like that Autism and Vents shit. I don’t normally approach things with a set plan, just a goal to get it finished and deliver the best I possibly can. The EP is the best indication of where I was at, at the time and its also a good indication of where I’m taking it.

How important is your hometown in terms of the music you produce?
It’s all relevant. 3630 Shepp-life is very much a part of me. I have spent the better part of 20 years there. I got a good team back in the G.V. Drinkers United, Beer Olympians, Swiggers With Attitude. Growing up there was a trip. There wasn’t much of a hip hop scene, there were kids into it like me, but it was more Metal and Punk, so we all messed about in bands growing up and just pissin’ about. It was good fun.

What role does your indigenous heritage play in your music?
Well it’s me, but it’s not something you wear like a t-shirt, you just can’t put it on and take it off when you feel like it, its who I am. If it comes through in my music it’s because it was meant to happen but i don’t make a point of being a spokesperson for all my brothers and sisters out there. I just make rap music and speak from my perspective on things.

What can you tell me about The Gospel According To Briggs?
That I’m working on it right now. I’m collecting beats and working on the tracks. As I’ve said, I don’t usually have a set plan on how I make things, I just get in and see what happens. My fam from Adelaide will be all over it. Jaytee has already delivered me some heat. And I’m working with some other producers as well. There will be more about that down the track when I have things locked in.

“…I started doing the rap thing when I was a teenager. Me and my boys did our best to insult each other over Dr. Dre instrumentals…my brother showed me my first stuff, Naughty By Nature, Public Enemy and LL. My cousins showed me the more grimy shit and I was into it because it was packed with swear words. I grew up on gangsta rap, I love it and it is still what I listen to mostly…”

You have been on tour with The Funkoars for the last month or two. What has that been like? You must have some scandalous stories…
They are a well adjusted collective of gentlemen. We don’t dabble in much shenanigans on tour…hi-jinx, tomfoolery and skylarking were well in the mix though. There was a lot of straight cordial on the rocks to get the party started, red cordial too if you wanted to take it ‘there’. In Sydney though, the big red machine broke their van door. He even told them he was going to do it then delivered on his promise. I can assure the ‘DING DING DING’ noise from a door ajar will put any of them in the fetal position from now on.

Melbourne heavyweight Reason features on the track My Priority. How did you two originally hook up?
Reason has been my buddy from day one. He showed me how to ride a bike, open a beer with a lighter, how to shave, try do my taxes etc. He’s a good friend. When I first left the greater city of Shepparton and landed in Melbourne he was the dude who put me on. He took me around the country with him and Mark 563 and we rocked some shows together.

The contrast is obvious in the chorus for My Priority. When you and Reason were discussing concepts how did you come to settle on your priorities? Is it a definite ‘meeting halfway’ affair?
That track was just some comical odd-couple type of shit. I can assure you everything in that track is 100% true. I like steak, Reason likes bean curds. I’m a drunk, he isn’t. He had newborn baby girl, I had about 3 eviction letters. He had a job, I had the bitter taste of an unemployment menu, on some chef Briggs ‘make it work’ kitchen bullshit. Chip sammiches every fucking day. You don’t get to look like me without a diet of chip sammiches and cordial. I do 8.

What do you get more satisfaction out of…performing to frenzied crowds at huge venues on The Hangover tour or having a release to your name? Or do they both have their unique value?
I think having a release to my name is the better feeling, because then you’re established, somewhat. That’s your ‘001′ ya know? That is where it all begins. Ive done big shows before like the Obese Block Party 3 and 4 and so on. But it doesn’t really mean much unless you have that release attached to your name. I think it was a better feeling to because i finally had it done, no more lazy bones, no more of ‘the procrastinator’. But to rock those tracks in front of a crowd is right next to it.

Homemade Bombs is a potent autobiography in which you describe experiences familiar to many a hip hop head. Was this part of the motive when writing the track? To voice these common grievances? Or was it more simply the desire to tell your personal story?
Definitely just my personal story. Getting that off my chest was one of the better things I have done with my life I think. Especially the last verse. There’s a lot of bullshit that everyone has to deal with day to day and that was my story. It was pretty much as close to an autobiography i could get without boring the piss out of everyone. I think most people can relate to it because I’m just your regular joe at the corner shops, squinting at Kettle chip prices because he got his first dose of sunlight at 2pm in the arvo.

What’s your favourite track off the EP and why?
I know its going to sound like a wank, but I like every track for different reasons. But probably Homemade Bombs, because that’s the most honest and raw out of them all. To kick live, I like Bad Move and Silverback because they smash.

What’s on the agenda for the next few months? Lots of studio-time with the odd bender? Or plenty of benders with the odd recording session?
I always lie to myself about drinking, wake up every morning and tell myself I have to stop and be more sensible, but in the next 6 hours I’m usually hanging from the rafters somewhere. But I do have EVERY intention to be in the studio. So it shouldn’t be too far away.

Big shout out to my squad, The Opposition, Vishus, Scott Free and Tweet The Foot Soldiers and the rest of the usual suspects.

www.myspace.com/airbriggs