Rennie Pilgrem is without a doubt one of the most consistent and best-loved producers in the world of breakbeat. He’s behind some of the biggest and most enduring tracks that the nu-skool breaks genre (the blueprint for which he certainly played a major part in developing), from the cheeky Eskimo with B.L.I.M. to his storming Agatha Stomp Remix of Zero’s Emit/Collect, and to his marvellous work with his live act, The TCR Allstars. If you haven’t seen them smashing up a festival or a club, you really ought to – a sensationally uplifting experience that shows how accessible breakbeat can be, and how well it can work in the live arena.
Now he’s embarking on a new chapter of his career – and a new chapter indeed for the dance music industry in general, selling his new artist album Skin by text message (as we reported recently (as we reported recently here ). We took Rennie aside for a candid catch-up and to find out about this new way of reaching his fans
So, you’re selling your new album via text message. Why?
Because it’s a great way of encouraging people to buy a whole album quickly and cheaply rather than ‘cherry-picking 2 or 3 tracks. It’s also a new way of doing things which is good to try when things are changing so radically in the industry
Tell us about the guests on your album...
They are all desperate, sad people who have collaborated to feed their enormous habits…
I wanted to work with some great new people and managed to hook-up with Larry Love from Alabama 3, MC Manic from Freefall Collective, Bella Saer, the composer and Ruth from the top New Zealand band Minuit. I also collaborated again with fellow producers Uberzone, BLIM and Arthur Baker ‘cos I love what they do. There’s info on all of them here: www.tcr.uk.com/skin
What do you think about big acts giving away their albums for free? Is it setting adangerous precedent for the rest of the music industry?
It’s a slippery slope. It’s like when the magazines devalued compilations by giving them away….people get used to not paying.
For you, what are the 3 greatest breaks albums of all time...
The first Chemical Brother’s album Exit Planet Dust, You’ve Come A Long Way Baby by Fatboy Slim and Prodigy’s Fat Of The Land. Not big underground releases but they show the power of breaks on a massive scale.
Your TCR All Stars live show is massively popular. What do you think makes it works so well?
They are all very good musicians. We get on well. I am musical. I have always been a fan of putting hooks into my music which has made the leap to doing it live more possible
Your MC of choice Chickaboo has been making a name for herself in other realms with Hannah Holland and Trailer Trash...do you ever get jealous when she’s with another DJ?
Yes. Sometimes I sit in my studio late at night and rock to and fro chanting “She’s mine, she’s mine, she’s fucking mine”….no, I am pleased for her because she is very good at what she does. Not many MCs can whip-up the crowd like her. It can be frustrating if she can’t do a gig if she’s booked-up but it’s great that she is in demand in several different scenes
Where will you guys be playing, if at all, over the summer?
We have live gigs in a castle in southern Spain this weekend...Glastonbury, The Beatherder Festival in Skipton, and I then go to Australia and New Zealand for a ten date tour. You will be able see the whole TCR posse at our infamous BBQ in Camden on 5th July for a big Free knees-up
Do you think too many “live dance music acts” are a bit lazy with what they do?
I haven’t seen loads but most are underwhelming. It’s is a lot of work to do properly and it helps if you can actually play an instrument which a lot of them can’t. To be fair though anyone who has gone to all the work to put on a live show deserves respect…as long as they are doing at least something live.
What’s your opinion on the state of the breaks scene in general at the moment?
It’s not in great shape because breaks as a scene has forgotten what it is supposed to be about. Great beats and basslines with all sorts of exciting and forward-thinking shit on top. Most breaks tracks aren’t really breaks. Most breaks clubs aren’t really breaks clubs at the moment. It needs to rediscover its roots, to remind people why they liked it in the first place.
What would we find you listening to in non-studio/DJing time?
A bit of dubstep, some punk funk and some ‘70s.
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