The He Said Interview
Chase and Status
28.10.09
Chase & Status are a performing & production duo who met in Manchester over a shared love of D'n'B and G'n'T's... They consist of Saul Milton and Will Kennard. They pioneer mainstream acceptance of Drum & Bass through combining pop hooks over dirty beats. They release their new single 'End Credits' 2nd November and are currently 'smashing it up' throughout the country. The found time to sit and talk about all manner of things with He Said She Said... Read Chris's interview below.
http://www.myspace.com/chaseandstatus
He Said
'I can't do it and I won't do it, I don't even like Drum and Bass it's all Bleeps and Whistles to me'
'Well I'm at work and you're a bum so you're doing it'
A brief insight into the working relationship we have here at He Said She Said towers.
So deciding/forced to do it, I scramble round for a pen and a bit of paper whilst trying to present a zen like calm to the record company who are on the other end of the phone:
'Are you ready to go Chris?'
'Yeah all ready'
I am about 500 miles from ready, the only pen in my house has gone (I presume sold), I'm writing the answers on the backs of envelopes and the evil hangover that creeps in your ears and drowns your brain has started its ascent.
'I'm going to pass you over now'
'Yeah great ready willing and able, thanks'
'Hi this is Saul from Chase & Status'
I settle on the floor of my lounge to conduct the interview, my Parkinson fantasies well and truly lost. I open with the stranded question of how's the tour going, they just played a gig I was supposed to go to but decided against because it was a 14-17 show (no booze) in Brixton and they went on at 12... So was it ever going to happen?'
'It's been going off man, the kids are insane'
Not the insightful state of the world addresses I had hoped for but to be fair a standard answer I thought. I must also say that the reception in my house, well it's about as welcome as Gary Glitter in a nursery so quotes may vary.
Chase & Status have a new single coming out on the 2nd of November with Plan B called 'End Credits'. It's a song from the new Michael Caine film, so I think it's best to follow with a question about that because 'plug, plug, plug at the end of the day baby...'
'We are really happy with the tune, it's a great film, not your normal British gangster rubbish, Pete Tong rang us up and asked for a track and we had it ready'
OK so that's the plug out of the way let's get to something a little more interesting. Having done my research it turns out that Chase & Status have somewhat angered the crowd that they came from. I ask him if the reason they have moved away from Drum & Bass is because it's got a bit stagnant.
'Yeah its D'n'B by numbers we are just trying to do our own things we still got love for D'n'B but we want to be successful'
Thinking that this track is more interesting than the normal 'tell me how fucking wicked you are Radio One route' I persist with my angle and question if Saul has seen the somewhat negative opinions that have been posted on various web forums calling into question their loyalty to the foundations that they dance upon.
'What you mean all those peoples calling us gays and nicking beats?'
'Yes those will do for a start'
'Well they would do it if they had a talent, those lot have got more front than Jay Z, I know D'n'B producers who would rather buy Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses than make their rent'
I try to venture another question at this but a nerve seems to been struck and Saul is ranting about respect and other things but as I say reception is bad and I'm running out of envelopes.
Sensing the grit is firmly within his teeth I ask him about a supposed 'beef' they had with the Tomb Crew regarding a remix of their track 'Eastern Promise'. This answer is dispatched with barbed comment along the lines off:
'If you're going to do a remix, make it good or we will set the lawyers on you'
For the last question I ask him about the work they have done with the biggest pop star in the world.
'Rihanna took us out for dinner in New York and during the toast thanked us for being the cornerstone of her album.'
Now say what you like about selling out or whatever but I would wager any of those gurning numpties would sell their last bean to be sat where Chase & Status were right then.
The interview is coming to an end and I have warmed to Saul. He is just trying to make it in any way possible. Criticism is inevitable when the underground goes overground and it seems that rule is as true in D'n'B as it is in any musical genre...
