Interview: Planas

Toby Davies is one fraction of Gentleman’s Dub Club. He’s performing under his solo moniker of Planas at the Outlook Festival Launch party this weekend. He chatted to Planet Notion about his inspirations, Twin Peaks (hell yeah!) and why he secretly likes Lil Jon.

Why not listen to one of his sweet mixes while you read this piece. It’ll help you get in to his mind!

Planas – Music Makers Subline Mix – FREE DOWNLOAD by PlanasBeats

PlanetNotion:How does your solo work differ to what you do with Gentlemen’s Dub Club?

Toby: It’s a lot freer in style, but it has its limitations as not all of it is played live. Because of the size of the band GDC is a much less flexible animal – my productions contain wider influences as it’s easier for me to try and test different ideas in the studio. On the other hand the Dub Club groove is loose and hard to emulate because each musician has his own groove, and we play off each other in a way that’s impossible to recreate in the studio.

PN:There are so many of you in GDC… is it scary being on stage alone?

T: It’s very different, you don’t have other people to rely on so much when it comes to your set. Having said that, I’ve been involved in performance from a really early age so I don’t find it too nerve-racking. If there are any technical issues I get a bit anxious, you have to come to terms with the fact that your set is simply not going to be as tight if, say, one of the decks isn’t working properly or they are rubbish or even no monitors! Over the few years I’ve been DJing I’ve learnt that adaptability is really important, and is part of the skill of being a DJ. I usually turn up expecting there to be at least slight issues with the setup, then if everything’s running smoothly it’s a bonus!

PN:What are you most looking forward to at the Outlook launch party?

T: Testing my new tunes! I’ve got some material for my album which I haven’t played out yet, it’s always a great feeling hearing a tune fresh from your studio drop on a big stack for the first time.

PN:What are your plans for 2012?

T: I’m working on my debut album, The Long Game. It’s been a year or so in the making and I’m really happy with how it’s sounding. I’ve also just started a Planas live outfit with Eddie and Niall from the GDC and the uber-talented Claudia Georgette. Gigs have been a lot of fun so far and I can’t wait to play more. I’m looking to collab with more vocalists, especially MC’s this year, it’s something I’ve been meaning to do more and there are a few opportunities I’m looking at which will hopefully lead to this. Other than that, remixes and more DJ gigs are obviously a top priority.

PN:Can you name the artist that has been most influential on your sound?

T: J-Dilla, because he wasn’t afraid to experiment and push boundaries, and he put his heart and soul into every piece of music he created.

PN:What’s your motto for life?

T: I heard one the other day in Twin Peaks which I really like:”Achievement is its own reward, pride obscures it.”
I also just came up with one:”If you stare at the sky all the time, you’ll tread in a dog turd.”
Not sure if that one will stick to be honest…

PN:Who else are you looking forward to seeing on Saturday?

T: The whole lineup is incredible, it’s hard to pick a favourite…I’ve never seen a full Alix Perez set so I’m sure that will be a proper treat. I’ve seen IrationSteppas a million times but never get tired of their selection and the vocalists are always on point, so I’m looking forward to that part of the night. The Bug draws for some enormous plates as well, and Daddy Freddy is an absolute monster. Other than that Evergreen has some wicked tunes in the bag…like I said, hard to pick a favourite!

PN:What acts are you keeping an eye on at the moment?

T: I heard a tune from the Pinch &Photekcollab the other day that blew my socks off. Also some recent Distance tracks have definitely caught my attention: he manages to sound upfront but not crass which is always a winner for me. I’ve heard some of the material from Submotion Orchestra’s next album which is sounding wicked. Also Author have proved themselves to be a real force in bass music and I’m looking forward to catching their live show. I loved Rustie’s Glass Swords album and I’ve become a proper fan of his and Hudmo’s output.

Aside from that I make a lot of hip hop (as Seemore Productions) so I keep a close eye on rappers and producers from that scene. I really like Onra, Om Unit and Eric Lau, and from the US I look out for anything by artists like Black Milk, Finale, Guilty Simpson, Flying Lotus, B Bravo, Ludacris, plus a lot of Lil Wayne and Drake’s instrumentals are absolutely ridiculous, even though they probably go on about money and cars a bit too much! DJ wise I really like Benji B, Oneman and Bunzer0′s selections. I spend a lot of my time checking out new music so I could go on forever!

PN:What’s your favourite joke?

T: Many of them are unprintable. Tommy Cooper’s jokes always kill me:
I told the doctor “I’ve got a bad back”. He said “it’s old age”. I said “I want a second opinion”. The doc says “Ok, you’re ugly as well”.

PN:What would you be doing if you weren’t a musician?

T: I think I’d be a filmmaker as I’m totally obsessed with films. We’ve just bought a projector at my house and the living room is basically a cinema now. One of my life ambitions is to write scores for film so it would be the next best thing.

PN:Thanks Toby!

Outlook Festival Launch happens 21st January at Ewer Street Warehouse.

For more information, visit: http://www.outlookfestival.com/