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DJs InBox Interview with Dave & Steve
4 December 2020

Shortly after their recent livestream together, head honchos Steve & Dave sat down for a virtual chat with DJsInBox. Big thanks to Mark and the team – an edited version is below, but for a full browse around their site, please go to: 

https://www.djs-inbox.com/

Mark: Getting to know a label is a journey. It’s more than just familiarising oneself with the artists they enlist and the catalog they have amassed, although this is still very important – it’s a personal choice investment. For me, it’s intriguing learning more about the people behind the label and how they got their start. It’s fascinating to hear the stories, specifically the things that contributed to how it all began and what led up to where they are today. Selador Recordings is run by two very prominent lads in the Electronic Music industry, who are completely boots on the ground individuals…longtime industry DJs Dave Seaman and Steve Parry.

I think it’s fair to say we all have a few ‘go to’ labels that we are historically drawn to by both the style of music and the artists they curate. After discovering the Selador imprint, I didn’t have any misgivings about latching onto the label. Each release is unique while never sacrificing quality. I am not going to spoil the read any more…

How are you both doing during these surreal times…everyone safe and well?

Dave: As well as can be expected under the circumstances I suppose. It’s been a difficult year for everyone obviously but all we can do is our best to try to navigate through and keep our fingers crossed that the nightmare will be over soon.

Steve: Yes it’s bonkers really isn’t it. The whole world almost with the pause button pressed, while still trying to continue life. I work from home anyway and have done for 10 years, so that side of things hasn’t felt too different. The DJ-ing, travelling and social aspect, and actually playing music to people to make them dance, has left a big hole in my life though.

The past several years has seen a bit of a shift in the electronic music industry as a whole. Aside from the current world health and economic crisis, do you feel the music industry is thriving as much as it should or could be?

Dave: That’s a very difficult question to answer right now under current circumstances. I think everyone is just holding on for dear life at the minute, but I think it depends where you’re standing. Within the whole “Electronic Music Industry“, there are certain sectors doing better than others. Obviously the live side of things, which was probably our biggest revenue stream, has been hit hard by the pandemic but other areas such as the various tools for Production is very much on the rise because of lockdown as more and more people turn their hand to making music. Let’s see where the land lies by mid-2021, when we might be in a better position to evaluate.

Things have changed for so many people around the world in the last few months and it has affected many industries including music – clubs, events, concerts, music purchasing just to name a few. How do you see the industry evolving and moving forward as life may be quite different for quite some time?

Steve: The whole social aspect has gone, and so with clubs closed, it effects hotels, restaurants, taxis, hairdressers, clothes shopping. it’s been a big domino effect, that I’m hoping people can fight through.

Dave: That’s another of the big questions of the day that everyone is scrambling around trying to find answers for. I think it’s a time to spread our wings into different areas, keep an open mind, embrace opportunities and things will have a natural way of unfolding.

With things on pause the industry is in position for a true adjustment allowing many time to reset and re-evaluate strategy and technology to move forward into the next era. How is Selador taking advantage of this time?

Dave: It’s been an opportunity to get our house in order in many respects. There had been a lot of things on our To-Do list that we’d never gotten around to due to time restraints but have now been finally able to address. So the new website was the first thing, swiftly followed by setting up our live events concept, Seladoria, plus launching a Publishing arm to the company too. Our focus is on strengthening many different aspects of the label so that when things do settle back down to some sort of normality we’ll be in great shape to hit the ground running and take it to the next level. We’re also very happy to say we’ve just taken on a new member of staff, namely Nick Gordon Brown, who I ran Stress Records with in the 90s, who will bring his wealth of experience to proceedings, so the future is bright, despite 2020’s attempt to say otherwise. 

THE SELADORIA INAUGURAL LIVESTREAM    https://youtu.be/0g1fu4qgWsE

Steve: We’re also releasing three of the 3D project remixes on vinyl, and are looking at more vinyl releases in general  – and partly with that in mind, we’ll be launching a Bandcamp page very soon, something else that’s been in our plans for a while.

BANDCAMP LINK –  https://selador-recordings.bandcamp.com 

So, the label seems to be on a long winning streak with releases serving up immense gratification among many who appreciate great music. Versatility seems to be a formula that is really working for the label. Is it challenging to keep up the momentum?

Dave: Not really to be honest. There’s so much great music out there the only challenge is finding space for it on our release schedule and then having enough time to do it all justice. When you get on a roll it’s more about not taking your eye off the ball and not losing sight of your end goal than worrying about momentum.

Steve : We only release the tunes that we love, and we’ve been keeping things going for coming up to 8 years now. Because we both have the passion for the next thing, and the new tunes, it’s almost natural to keep on top of stuff of musically.

The Selador roster of artists is continually growing with an already impressive list. Anyone new you have your eyes (ears) on…looking to nab up this year or the next?

Dave: There’s always new producers consistently popping up on our radar yes. We’ve just signed an EP by &Lez actually, whose productions we’ve been really enjoying recently. And there’s a Micah/Kiz Pattison release on the way soon too. Their ‘Beam Of Light’ track from earlier in the year was one of our highlights of 2020. 

SELADOR SPOTIFY LINK – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1tkdarjYTg4E7tzTiyjkl6?si=vGJVnvngSPyQjW4SrK2Uvg

One of the more recent releases on the label is one from you Steve, titled ‘Fenner’ which hit the streets back August. Both mixes (Original and Murat Uncuoglu Remix) have had heavy plays. Spion 10 is also part of the EP. All fantastic. How big was this release for you and the label, and why?

Steve: I always just want to make a track that I would play in my sets. I’m very fussy about the tracks that I play, and am uber fussy about things in the studio. I think my tracks sound like I’ve made them, I never try and make something that sounds completely different, but all have a slightly different slant. Some more restrained, some are a bit wonkier and some downright dirty, but I play different styles in one set, so that works for me. I am always influenced by tracks that I like, usually new stuff, but often some classic gems too. I take inspiration of a specific sound or riff in a track, and a bassline from another, a kind of jigsaw of ideas that I merge together.

How did the title ‘Fenner’ come about?

I wanted to call a track after my lovely wife, and I was trying to think of a name, so we both knew it was for her, but it wasn’t an obvious name. So, before we were married, Melanie’s maiden name was ‘Renner’, and she once received a credit card that had the name ‘Melonie Fenner’ printed on it by mistake. And the name stuck, and I often called her by this name, it always made me laugh, and so when I was coming up with track names, I mentioned this strange made up name, and we liked it, and so this track is called ‘Fenner’.

FENNER SPOTIFY LINK  https://open.spotify.com/album/5muTzIl4gbvWVI8yvhr2Ng?si=JlA9VhtpR0ikMU2qY2PClg

How much time do you typically set aside for working in the studio, whether it’s on producing or catching up on new music?

Dave: I try to do 2 days each month where I solely concentrate on making music with the intention of finishing a track or remix each time. I work out of a studio in London (actually we both do), so it means travelling down and staying overnight. That allows me to submerge myself in the process. I don’t think I’d be able to do it from home with all the distractions family life brings. It’s just not conducive.

Steve : I don’t have set times as such, but I do go to (the same) studio in Shoreditch. It’s good for me to get away from the house (as I work from home), so I can concentrate fully on the production process. I suppose I do at least 6 trips away overnight to the studio a year.

You have both been managing, producing and DJing under the Selador label for quite some time, around seven years by my recollection. Do you find it complicated to balance time between all three and personal commitments/family?

Steve: it’s all interlinked I suppose, without one, the other wouldn’t work. I run a promo pool too, and also source music for DJs (basically I’m a digital record store assistant), and my new weekly radio show, and putting the Selador Sessions together – again all interlinked – and all keeps me busy. A clone and / or an assistant would be handy sometimes!

SELADOR SESSIONS SOUNDCLOUD LINK – https://soundcloud.com/selador-recordings/sets/selador-sessions

What do you gents like to do when not tending to the label/music? Both happy with the football season’s outcome…so far?

Dave: Ha! I’m sure Steve is pretty happy although losing Virgil Van Dyk for the season is going to test Liverpool’s mettle. As a Leeds fan, I’m just enjoying being back in the big time for the first time in 16 years! Although I do think we’ve acquitted ourselves pretty well so far. We’re not just going to make up the numbers, we’ll give anyone a run for their money. So long as we have Marcelo Bielsa, I’ll be happy.

Steve: yes I’m happy with the football so far, was a bit worrying seeing our neighbours do so well lately haha! I actually like Everton and have loads of evertonian mates, so it was nice to see them doing well. I’ve not quite back got in to football without the crowds if I’m being honest, I suppose it’s the football equivalent of live streaming with them playing without any supporters, and we have no punters to play to! It was stressful playing Leeds for the opening game of the season, I was expecting a torrent of abuse from Dave (and Digweed!). luckily (for me) it went our way – close game though. And I did still get texts from both of them saying LFC were lucky. Which is true, was a bit of a scare!

 

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