A product of hard house superclubs like Trade, Sundissential and Frantic, Robert Ferguson went from king of bounce to Radio1 superstar in an amazingly short space of time, following his inception into the dance music community under the watchful eye of Tony De Vit. Now more known for his techno and electro shenanigans, Fergie has entered 2007 with a new record label, a new London residency, and a schedule free from the weekly fixture of his Radio1 show — which he finished in the second half of last year. He’s a bit of musical chameleon, having taken several musical directions over the years, ensuring that his sound never gets stale. He’s currently plumbing for meaty electro — think German producers like Sven Vath and Oliver Huntemann — essentially gritty grooves for dark rooms.
He’s now joined forces with burgeoning Portsmouth promotion PunchFunk, and is launching his exclusive residency in the capital at their debut London event at The Key in King’s Cross on February 9th. His thumping ‘Ken The Men EP’ was the first release on their excellent PunchFunk label (which has been getting rave reviews across the board), and with the promotion branching out into Ibiza and other bigger ventures this year, it looks set to be a very wise move by the man. There’s also the matter of his very own label and club night, Excentrik Muzik, so basically 2007 is looking rosy for Fergie. Just don’t mention The Black Eyed Peas...
We last spoke to you exactly a year ago. Looking back, do you feel that things have been progressing well over the last 12 months?
Ello, yes it’s all good. Things have been great for me over the last year, with new Excentric nights popping up in London, Birmingham, and Scotland, and this summer will see Excentric move to Kanya in Ibiza for 13 weeks. So it has all been go, go, go!
Tell us about your new label Excentric — what’s that all about eh?
The Excentric Muzik label is something I have always wanted to do — to put my own productions on — but I never really found the time before and if I’m honest I never found anyone who I clicked with in the studio, but I now have both of these! I’ve got time to get into the studio since leaving Radio1 and I have teamed up with Mr. Dave Robertson who is the other half of Fergie in the studio. Once we get into the studio the buzz is absolutely brilliant — we just bounce ideas back and forth and have a really good time, messing about with different sounds and crazy beats. Brilliant, I love it!
You left your five-year stint at Radio1 in the second half of 2006. Have you found that your move has freed up a lot of time for you to work on other projects?
You know I had a top time over the years on Radio1. I travelled to some of the best places in the world with Radio1 — Brazil, Ibiza, Germany, Larne ha ha. I worked with some of the best producers, DJs and broadcasters in the business, which was awesome. When I left it was the chance for me to take a good look at what I wanted to do and which way I wanted to go, which has been great as the last ten years for me have been a whirlwind. I have started to go to college to do electronic music production, at the SAE in Glasgow. It has been different for me to be back in a classroom, as when I was at school I was never in one much in the first place. It’s all good.
Would you ever like to return to radio work?
I learnt some good stuff at Radio1 over the years so I think it would be a waste if I never went back to doing radio, but I feel that now is not the right time. DJing and production is taking up all my time. I’m so keen to embrace all the new technology that is on offer at the minute, which is just incredible. My brain feels like a sponge soaking it all up!
You are beginning your exclusive London residency at PunchFunk’s launch party in the capital on February 9th at The Key. Your ‘Ken The Men EP’ was the first release on their record label. How did that all come about?
To be kicking of an exclusive residency with my own Excentric Party at the Key in London is an unbelievable start to 2007, but to be doing it in collaboration with PunchFunk is just the icing on the cake! PunchFunk will host two rooms and I will host the main room. It’s going to be quite a party — I can’t wait!
I had met the Punchfunk guys a few times and had played for them quite regularly and was totally into their vibe. They were doing something that they believed in and they were and continue to be passionate about what they do, so it was an obvious choice for me to put some tracks out on their label. I’m in Portsmouth quite often so I always make sure I see the guys for a quick chat, as they always seem to have some thing new to talk about and new ideas. PunchFunk rocks.
The ‘Ken the Men’ track came about as that’s what I call my big bro, that’s his DJ name, so I just thought I would stick it on the label as that — a bit of fun really!
Why did you choose to play exclusively for PunchFunk in London rather than leaving yourself open to play anywhere?
Ha ha as I said, I have taking my Excentric night to join forces with the Pompy Massive...Excentric and Punchfunk!
You will be joined by Gregor Tresher and Japanese Popstars as the special guest on the night. What can you tell us about these guys — for those who may not be familiar with them?
Gregor is from Germany; he has produced some quality tracks over the years and has also remixed the first release on Excentric Muzik label. It’s a track by the Salt City Orchestra, ‘The Book’, so it was an obvious choice to get him on board for the opening at The Key for the event.
The Japanese Popstars: yes, well, when you see the guys for the first time you are shocked when they come on the stage and start to perform as they’re not from Japan, neither are they Japanese, but they are three cheeky chaps from Derry in Northern Ireland. I supported some of their stuff when I was with Radio1 as they were from back home and I was really into their sound, which is very electronic mashed-up nonsense — in the best way of course!
Also on the bill will be Mr Henry Von who is someone I have been pushing for a while. Henry is a versatile DJ and supports me on loads of my shows playing at the start of the night building it up or ripping the roof of at the end. He’s defo someone you will be hearing a lot of down the line.
How has your practise on Ableton Live been going? Are you now using the software in your sets?
Ableton — it’s all good yeah. I’ve been trying to get my head round it! I’ve been using it mainly to do edits etc. I’ve also been using Reason and for my DJing Serato which is awesome — it’s like the next level of Vinyl Scratch but you can use CDs also, so there is quite a lot to remember for the Ferg but as I said, it’s all good.
Soulwax and Switch remixing Robbie Williams, Sebastien Leger remixing Justin Timberlake, it seems that the major labels are realising the potential of getting respected dance music producers on the remix tip again. Who would you like to get your hands on and give the proverbial Fergie treatment?
I suppose I would love to have a mess around with the Leftfield album ‘Leftism’. I don’t think anyone could do it any kind of justice at all, but it’s such a great album I would love to see what I could do to it.
Not that you probably get much time for it, but when did you last have a thoroughly good dance?
I live in Glasgow now so I get the chance to go to some of the best nights from Slam at the Arches or Optimo in the Sub Club, but it’s not a case of me dancing, but just getting right amongst it and having a bit of down time and listing to some serious music.
Do you keep an eye on any other dance music scenes besides the ones you are directly involved in?
I love and have always loved different types of music from house, to techno to rock and a bit of Johnny Cash so yeah I think you have to keep a healthy look out to see what’s going on.
What does the phrase “ride the walrus” mean to you?
Is it some thing to do with a dance event? Or it could be some thing to do with shagging a fat bird, not sure…
And finally a bit of a long shot — would you ever step back in time and play a hard house classics set?
Would I play hard house set... hmm...? Well I made my name from playing this music and although I feel it has sorta lost its groove, I always have tried to be true to my roots and as hard house is a part of my roots and was a part of my growing up I would have to say, yes, I would play a hard house set given the right situation.
I think the classics I have in my mind not many people who are now in that scene would know and would probably think they’re too slow. Some time I’m sure I will do it but right now, it’s not the time.
Photos courtesy of Fergie. Not to be reproduced without permission.
From: El Hombreon 1st Feb 2007 19:02.48 "and a schedule free from the weekly fixture of his Radio1 show — which he finished in the second half of last year."
Well I've never heard loosing your job put in such a positive light. E99, you'd make a great spin doctor.
From: hoopzon 1st Feb 2007 20:59.23 Fergie come back to Hard House!!!!! Show us what your made of!!!
From: dave_irvineon 4th Feb 2007 13:12.48 See you down the front
From: benzon 5th Feb 2007 09:37.13 El Hombre - every cloud has a silver lining! If Fergie hadn't left Radio1, he wouldn't have had time to go back to college to study music production.....which by the sounds of it, he is really enjoying learning by himself.
From: Stu Coxon 8th Feb 2007 19:31.54 Cool interview, wicked to see him teaming up with PunchFunk - top blokes who run awesome nights!
I'm surprised he says he wouldn't do a hard house classics set yet, seeing that he did at one of the Tidy Weekenders a couple of years ago... and a corker it was too!
From: dimitryon 8th Feb 2007 19:35.46 brill!!!more nights like this in london plz!
From: James Condonon 9th Feb 2007 10:06.28 This looks wicked!! Im loving Fergie's sound at the moment and will defo be comin to some punchfunk nights.
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