I’m not sure how to introduce Jay, I haven’t known him too long, and we actually got to know each other through twitter. He is however, one of the most driven and ambitious young men I have ever met, easily juggling DJ gigs, a residency, music making and his degree. Some people mistake this drive for arrogance and as a result, you hear many different opinions around Newcastle of this particular DJ, all of the negative ones appear however to be from people who have never actually met him, and all are probably closely related to jealousy. He’s come a long way in a short space of time, and I can say it’s been a pleasure meeting and DJing with him. I caught up with him over iChat recently and did this interview, read on to find out more from a DJ you’ll be hearing a lot of very soon.
So, who is Jay Fontaine?
A bass monkey
A Bass monkey?
Yes a bass monkey, a primate that loves bass
Ha ha, fair enough. When did you start Djing and why? And what did you play?
I started DJing because my girlfriend dumped me and decided to buy some decks to cheers me up, that said my first live gig was at st. Bede’s primary school. I had to play the song at the start of assembly, and had a collection of vinyl to choose from.
Serious? How did that come about?
You used to have to take it in turns, but as I always played the best tunes (I used to spend my lunchtime deciding what vinyl to play) I got to do it all year.
Was that what started your interest then?
Yeah, and my brother’s jungle tape
So how old were you when you got dumped and bought decks?
20
So when you started spinning what did you play, because I’m interested to see how you got into electro and dub, because was there a lot of that around in East London?
I went like this, 2 step garage, then I started going to Fabric Live, then got into DnB and 2 step, then got into grime, then when I got to Newcastle there was no garage or grime scene. I bought the complete Hed Kandi collection on an mp3 DVD disc for £10 on ebay and became a funky house DJ (It pays the rent). White funky house not black funky house.
There’s a difference?
Yeah, black funky house is the head shoulders knees and toes song. Then I met a guy called D-NO, he introduced me to electro and switch, which I loved. Then dubstep got bigger up North, which was great as I loved it because it was like playing grime. I am now a bi-music-sexual, I like and play anything with a good beat or bassline.
So where were you first gigs in Newcastle then? Because it’s not like you have any confidence issues, did you just get out there and hustle your shit to promoters?
My first gig was a DJ competition at mushroom bar. I came second.
Who won?
I don’t know them, some next man. Second gig was at an underground night called Harem, I played funky house and electro, think Fedde Le Grand ‘Put your hands up for detroit’, it was on TV! But the Police shut it down. I warmed up playing soulful funky stuff, and that was about three and a half years ago, in my first year. Then I DJed at a night called breathe in WHQ, that lasted two weeks because of shit promoters, and out of that I got asked to do Rub a Dub Dub.
Fast forward, and you now hold down, let’s face it, the hottest club night in Newcastle, Rub a Dub Dub. It’s massive and you’ve only just started getting guest DJs right?
Yeah that’s right
The night is insane, the Jack Beats night proved that.
Actually the first Leeroy from the Prodigy gig last year proved that.
[there was about ten minutes of unusable banter here]
How much freedom with Rub a Dub Dub do you have? Am I right in saying that you have musical freedom, i.e. which guests you invite, and what you play?
I can play what I want, only way I’d DJ. Remember when I played ‘Come on Eileen’?
Ha ha yeah, I was like, ‘WTF?’
Hey it’s all good
So what’s up with Decibel? What is it and who is it?
It’s me and a secret bass monkey. We make house music that apparently sounds like Crookers, Foamo and proxy.
Foamo is the shit. Why is the secret bass monkey secret? Because he’s a pretty big deal in his own circles isn’t he?
Yeah exactly, can’t get confused with his urban persona.
[More off tangent ramblings]
So who brings what to the table? Because am I right in saying that the secret member is a bit of a production wizard?
Yeah he is, I do all the donkey work, promotions wise and the DJing.
So how many tracks in are you? I know you’re bursting to tell us about the love you’ve been getting on Radio 1.
We got Radio 1 young blood track of the week, and so far three tracks have been played on Radio 1. We’re on our fifth track.
That’s awsome! Do you ever play together as decibel, or do you just play the tracks as backchat on your own?
I’m only backchat in Newcastle, the plan is that when we’re outside of Newcastle to play together as Decibel.
Oh ok, and preserve the secret persona of member no.2 in Newcastle?
Yep.
So what’s next for Backchat and Decibel?
Get big and famous
Specific, ha ha
Try and get signed to a good label, do some more remixes and then hopefully get an EP out of original music. My dream however is to be on radio.
Thanks man!
No worries.
Jay hooked us up with an exclusive track from Decibel, ‘Fully Paid’. You’ll be hearing this everywhere before long!
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‘Fully Paid’ – Decibel
Jay chillin’ on his balcony in Newcastle
