Myagi Interview with COCO
FEATURE: COCO <-- www.visionaryunderground.com
BY: ANDREW aka MYAGI <-- www.myagimusic.com
DATE: AUGUST 2002
M: How did the collective hook up?
C: DJ FeelFree & I founded Visionary Underground in 1997. It began as an underground party outfit round London that then developed into a band/collective. DJ FeelFree was producing dance music and I had a photo/art background. We began doing VJ/DJ gigs together but there was always a bigger picture in mind and this was going to involve more people In the summer of 2000 I invited Xfile (an engineer producer I'd met) to collaborate with FeelFree and write some breakbeat. This encounter proved successful and led to her joining VU. MC Navigator was our first choice of vocalist so we were really happy that he liked what we were doing and got involved in the project. With him came LP, a MC/artist originally from Florida but now based in the UK. There was an instant rapport with him so he too joined us. Aref Durvesh, our very talented tabla player is also a diverse character that loves breaks and is into the Visionary Underground sound. As well as the main core of the collective we are working with other guest musicians and vocalists the most recent being TC Islam who is Afrika Bambaataa's son.
M: To what extent is the music you produce geared towards the breakbeat scene as a whole?
C: We are entirely geared towards the breaks scene. We love the diversity, flexibility and whole attitude of breakbeat. Our sound has a range of different styles: electro, dub, ragga, asian, etc but whatever the flavour it's always breakbeat. The visuals too are an integral part of our set up. We refer to what we do as EYE-BEATS.
M: Are DJs a consideration for a live act such as yourselves?
C: Most definitely Visionary Underground was born out of DJ culture. (FeelFree in particular is a serious beat mixer.)
M: What are the common ties that bring your eclectic backgrounds and styles together?We are like-minded souls with a love of technology, phat/leftfield breaks & killa bass-lines. (No banging techno over here!) Generally too, amongst all of us, there's a strong appreciation of music, creativity, visual representation and forward thinking attitudes.
To what extent do political issues play a role in your music and visuals?
C: Mm, that's difficult to answer the question is a potential minefield! Needless to say we all share a strong sense of justice and social consciousness originating from our different backgrounds and experiences. Therefore even though it's not what we are ultimately about, political issues are not something we run from either.
M: How does a live show take place? What does the onstage rig consist of for various members? Are the visuals planned or free flowing?
C: Well first the phone has to ring and someone has to offer you a gig! Sorry couldn't resist that!! The live show is as follows; DJ FeelFree on turntables, Xfile on bass, both of them on live sequencing and effects (Mac computer, mixing desk and outboard (i.e. FX units & sampler)). Then there's Aref on tabla, Navigator & LP on vocals and myself on visuals. These are free flowing and executed live and spontaneously via Mac laptops, a vision mixer and various VJ software. No two shows are the same.
M: How do your various members mesh their ideas together to form a cohesive piece of work, for example, the videos for either freedom or urban uproar?
C: Each member of the collective has their specific thing that they are good at and are therefore invited to contribute freely and instinctively. It's a process that begins with Xfile & FeelFree constructing a basic track. The various vocalists/musicians then come and vibe that out, and then put their piece on. Xfile and FeelFree then produce this into the final arrangement. I create the visuals/videos largely by myself with interaction from the rest of the group (especially X & FF) during certain stages of production.
M: How has the internet played a role in the distribution of your media?
C: The internet has been a massive tool. We stream our audio and visuals as well as having free MP3 downloads on our website visionaryunderground.com. It's great to be able to have our work up where people, globally can access it so easily. Also we love being part of the breakbeat community and the internet plays a really big part in that. We are getting to speak to people we might never have otherwise met and the scope is worldwide...
VISIONARY UNDERGROUND IS:
FEELFREE - DJ/PRODUCER COCO - VJ/VISUAL ARTIST
XFILE - MUSICIAN/PRODUCER AREF DURVESH - TABLA & VOCALS
MC NAVIGATOR - VOCALS MC LP - VOCALS
BY: ANDREW aka MYAGI <-- www.myagimusic.com
DATE: AUGUST 2002
M: How did the collective hook up?
C: DJ FeelFree & I founded Visionary Underground in 1997. It began as an underground party outfit round London that then developed into a band/collective. DJ FeelFree was producing dance music and I had a photo/art background. We began doing VJ/DJ gigs together but there was always a bigger picture in mind and this was going to involve more people In the summer of 2000 I invited Xfile (an engineer producer I'd met) to collaborate with FeelFree and write some breakbeat. This encounter proved successful and led to her joining VU. MC Navigator was our first choice of vocalist so we were really happy that he liked what we were doing and got involved in the project. With him came LP, a MC/artist originally from Florida but now based in the UK. There was an instant rapport with him so he too joined us. Aref Durvesh, our very talented tabla player is also a diverse character that loves breaks and is into the Visionary Underground sound. As well as the main core of the collective we are working with other guest musicians and vocalists the most recent being TC Islam who is Afrika Bambaataa's son.
M: To what extent is the music you produce geared towards the breakbeat scene as a whole?
C: We are entirely geared towards the breaks scene. We love the diversity, flexibility and whole attitude of breakbeat. Our sound has a range of different styles: electro, dub, ragga, asian, etc but whatever the flavour it's always breakbeat. The visuals too are an integral part of our set up. We refer to what we do as EYE-BEATS.
M: Are DJs a consideration for a live act such as yourselves?
C: Most definitely Visionary Underground was born out of DJ culture. (FeelFree in particular is a serious beat mixer.)
M: What are the common ties that bring your eclectic backgrounds and styles together?We are like-minded souls with a love of technology, phat/leftfield breaks & killa bass-lines. (No banging techno over here!) Generally too, amongst all of us, there's a strong appreciation of music, creativity, visual representation and forward thinking attitudes.
To what extent do political issues play a role in your music and visuals?
C: Mm, that's difficult to answer the question is a potential minefield! Needless to say we all share a strong sense of justice and social consciousness originating from our different backgrounds and experiences. Therefore even though it's not what we are ultimately about, political issues are not something we run from either.
M: How does a live show take place? What does the onstage rig consist of for various members? Are the visuals planned or free flowing?
C: Well first the phone has to ring and someone has to offer you a gig! Sorry couldn't resist that!! The live show is as follows; DJ FeelFree on turntables, Xfile on bass, both of them on live sequencing and effects (Mac computer, mixing desk and outboard (i.e. FX units & sampler)). Then there's Aref on tabla, Navigator & LP on vocals and myself on visuals. These are free flowing and executed live and spontaneously via Mac laptops, a vision mixer and various VJ software. No two shows are the same.
M: How do your various members mesh their ideas together to form a cohesive piece of work, for example, the videos for either freedom or urban uproar?
C: Each member of the collective has their specific thing that they are good at and are therefore invited to contribute freely and instinctively. It's a process that begins with Xfile & FeelFree constructing a basic track. The various vocalists/musicians then come and vibe that out, and then put their piece on. Xfile and FeelFree then produce this into the final arrangement. I create the visuals/videos largely by myself with interaction from the rest of the group (especially X & FF) during certain stages of production.
M: How has the internet played a role in the distribution of your media?
C: The internet has been a massive tool. We stream our audio and visuals as well as having free MP3 downloads on our website visionaryunderground.com. It's great to be able to have our work up where people, globally can access it so easily. Also we love being part of the breakbeat community and the internet plays a really big part in that. We are getting to speak to people we might never have otherwise met and the scope is worldwide...
VISIONARY UNDERGROUND IS:
FEELFREE - DJ/PRODUCER COCO - VJ/VISUAL ARTIST
XFILE - MUSICIAN/PRODUCER AREF DURVESH - TABLA & VOCALS
MC NAVIGATOR - VOCALS MC LP - VOCALS
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11:54 PM
