Cherrystones Profile in One Week to Live!

Gareth Goddard (aka Cherrystones) is as much of a rarity these days - as the records he so painstakingly collects for compilation and sample sources.  A DJ in the old tradition who plays vinyl, mixes without the aid of computers, and makes other jocks that call themselve eclectic seem as conservative as a blue tie.

The first Cherrystones release, The Broken Clock (1998) was born amidst the new world of sampling mapped out by DJ Shadow.  It would appear 5 years later on The Herbaliser’s ‘Herbel Blend’ mix CD (on Ninja Tune).  Goddard also teamed up with Pablo Psychonaut to remix Quannum’s ‘I Changed My Mind’ for Mo Wax, proving that as a crate-digging beat-maestro, he was in no one’s shadow.

Releases, like ‘Bed Bug/Speaker Blower’ on Twisted Nerve, further showed off his beat making prowess.  Lo Recording and David Holmes’ 13 Amp label have both sought his legendary vinyl knowledge for two excellent compilations (’Cherrystones Rocks’ and ‘Hidden Charms’).  DJ Cherrystones current mix CD ‘Crawl Back To Mine’, sees him mixing hip hop vocals over crunching rock breaks, in the true spirit of early scratch DJs.  It quickly sold out from record shops, but a repressing is immiment, so keep ‘em peeled.  Gareth is also a member of swamp-rock disco band, Prey, and makes atmospheric treated-guitar pieces on his own as Godsy.  We caught up with him in between raiding second-hand stores, to school us more about his search for sonic truth.

What’s your name, then, what do you do and where do you do it?

My name is Cherrystones.  I record produce and DJ under this name and also compile obscure psychedelic rock, soul and all other brands of lost nuggets that fall through the gaps of time. I also remix and play guitar in a band called Prey.

What have you got coming up?

Phew! Quite a bit! Gigs in Switzerland, two new compilations for Alan McGee’s Poptones label - which will again be obscure 60s and 70s grooves from Europe, my own Cherrystones LP (finally!) , two twelve inches under the alias Godsy for Whatever We Want Records in Brooklyn and new Prey material plus some remixes.

Who inspired you to start collecting vinyl?

No one really, more the urge to be inspired whilst trapped in the wilderness - however anyone who denies John Peel was a reason to liten is kidding!

Do collectors make good DJs or good DJs good collectors?

Collectors often have good records, however, it’s the sequence that is more important and knowing when to put it there.  A record’s rarity becomes as relevant as the right trainers in a club enviroment.  There are few DJs that can mix obscurity with good sequence.  Watch the floor!

In reflection, how important do you think that the Mo’Wax/Entroducing era was?

Very!  I changed people’s perspective in how they listened to.  Especially with dance music and predominately Hip Hop and Rap, the whole sample culture was turned on its axis.  Now, the word eclectic means ‘we’re scraping the little we hae together, but could not deliver pizza’ back then it meant you would hear some truly diverse music - European electronic jazz, progressive rock (you can dance to), Carl Craig - very upfront hip hop and rap, and anything else.

Have the Neptunes largely erased hip hop culture by not using samples or is it just a return to the Electro/Mantronix era?

I think they have moved it forward more than erased it.  I see a parellel witht he early work of Marley Marl and labels like Pop Art, N/A, Sunnyview - which in turn was more about equipment, drum machines etc - than commitment to a sample.  This is where technology works now - you have these crazy programs and drum machines that are devoid of air and make some big noises.  Its also about simplifying stuff, to make it coherent to a new audience and entice and encourage, which the Neptunes have done.

The Neptunes as far as I can see, do their own thing, and in turn have been rewarded by success and alot of imitation.

What’s your favourite club and record shop in London?

Club: B-music and any venue where the ratio of women to men is higher.  There’s nothing worse than see men get angry at the end of the night because they have not scored.  Favourite record shop: Intoxica Records in Portobello Road.

DJ Cherrystones superb ‘Crawl Back To Mine’ mix CD is currently available from Rough Trade Shops or Intoxica on Portobello Road.  Otherwise contact him through his myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/djcherrystones

Cherrystones Word is available on Poptones in June.

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