THE JOURNAL

THE AGENCY RUN PAPER FOR THE CREATIVE MARKET

PLDN | ISSUE #1 | 2019 WWW.PARADISE.LONDON2 3

HELLO yo uE ARE NOT JUST YOUR STEREOTYPICAL,

NINE-FIVE, OFFICE DOG, BUSHY BEARD

TOTING LONDON BASED CREATIVE

AGENCY, NO MY DEARS. WE ARE A COLLECTIVE IN THE

TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD. OVER THE PAST FIVE

YEARS WE HAVE CULTIVATED A GROWING FAMILY OF

REAL CREATIVES - FILM MAKERS, DESIGNERS,

MUSICIANS, ACTORS, WRITERS AND MUSIC PRODUCERS.

BECAUSE OF THIS, WE HAVE BECOME A LEADING AGENCY

WORKING IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

A WARM WELCOME TO OUR FIRST EDITION OF THE

JOURNAL : IT ’S A COLLECTION OF OUR WORK. WE

DESIGN. CREATE CONTENT, PRODUCE CAMPAIGNS, HOST

PANELS AND LIVE MUSIC EVENTS. THROUGH THE JOURNAL

WE HOPE TO ENTERTAIN AND INSPIRE OUR NETWORK. THIS

PAPER IS NOT ONLY A REPRESENTATION OF OUR WORK,

BUT OF THE PARADISE TEAM.

WE ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO COLLABORATIONS AND WE

CAN’T WAIT TO HAVE YOU JOIN US OVER THE NEXT

YEAR AT OUR REGULAR PLDN LIVE EVENTS ACROSS

LONDON, AND HOPEFULLY HAVE YOU JOIN OUR

NETWORK OF COLLABORATORS, CLIENTS AND FRIENDS.

IT HAS BEEN A MAD YEAR ALREADY WITH TRIPS TO

STOCKHOLM, LA AND PROJECTS GOING LIVE FOR THE

LIKES OF AIM, BMG, AND BBC INTRODUCING. I AM SURE

WE WILL SEE YOU AT ONE OF THE MANY FESTIVALS

KICKING OFF THIS SUMMER. BUT UNTIL THEN YOU

CAN STAY IN TOUCH VIA @PARADISELONDON AND

STAY UPDATED ON NEWS AND PROJECTS ON

WWW.PARADISE. LONDON

THANKS FOR READING. SEE YOU SOON. @RSHURSTY

HEAD OF STRATEGY, PLDN LIVE HOST & EDITOR

4 ADVERTISING WEEK EUROPE

5 PICCADILLY PICTURE HOUSE LIVE LINE UP

6 OUR DOCUMENTARY FOR MINISTRY OF SOUND

10 ED SHEERAN & THE LONDON IRISH CENTRE

12 “WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS” PDLN SUMMER TRIP

14 PARADISE LONDON LIVE AT WHITE CITY HOUSE

16 AN INTERVIEW WITH DJ SHADOW

18 THE PARADISE TEAM

LAS VEGAS 2018PARADISE LONDON SUMMER TRIP

PHOTO NICKY COOK

CONTENTS

PLDN | ISSUE #1 | 2019 WWW.PARADISE.LONDON4 5

ADVERTISING WEEK EUROPE

S A CREATIVE AGENCY WE SIT

IN THE MIDDLE OF BRANDS AND

ARTISTS, PRODUCING CONTENT AND

DESIGN TO DELIVER MEMORABLE CAMPAIGNS.

WE’VE INVITED A DIVERSE GROUP OF GUESTS

WITH REPRESENTATION FROM THE KEY

CORNERSTONES OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY TO

SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND APPROACH.

SUZANNE BAYLISS FROM BRAND PERSPECTIVE,

WORKING FOR VISION NINE WHICH RUNS

HUGELY SUCCESSFUL MUSIC FESTIVALS: BBC

INTRODUCING, BOARDMASTERS AND NASS .

RONNIE TRAYNOR OFFERS OUR ARTIST

MANAGEMENT POINT OF VIEW WORKING

WITH TALENT SUCH AS THE LIBERTINES, TOM

GRENNAN AND BARNS COURTNEY TO NAME A

FEW.

WE HAVE JENNIFER HILLS WHO WORKS FOR

UNIVERSAL, THE BIGGEST RECORD LABEL

IN THE WORLD, RUNNING THEIR BESPOKE

PARTNERSHIPS TEAM GLOBE.

FINALLY, NICK JEKYLL, CREATIVE DIRECTOR

HERE AT PARADISE LONDON WHO HAS

EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH

MUSIC AND BRANDS: RECENTLY DIRECTING

A DOCUMENTARY FOR MINISTRY OF SOUND,

WHICH PREMIERED WITH A LIVE ORCHESTRA

AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL.

ONCE CONSIDERED ‘SELLING OUT’ , BRAND

PARTNERSHIPS ARE NOW INCREASING IN

QUALITY AND QUANTITY AND HAVE PLAYED

A SOLID ROLE IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRIES

FINANCIAL UPTURN. TALENT, MANAGEMENT

TEAMS, BRANDS, CREATIVE TEAMS ARE

CONTINUOUSLY DEVELOPING NEW FORMATS

AND ORIGINAL IDEAS THAT GO BEYOND

TRADITIONAL ENDORSEMENT DEALS. FROM

MUSIC VIDEOS LIKE COLDPAY X BEATS

AND THE ANIMATED MONKEYS, TO ARTISTS

GETTING INVOLVED IN DESIGN WITH KANYE

X ADIDAS TO LIVE MUSIC ACTIVATIONS WITH

MASTERCARD X TELEGRAPH. ARTISTS AND

BRANDS ARE PROVING THERE IS A PLETHORA

OF OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER,

THAT THEY CAN OFFER REAL VALUE AND

ENGAGEMENT TO THEIR AUDIENCES.

DURING THE CONVERSATION WE TAKE A

DEEPER LOOK AT WHY BRANDS AND MUSIC

PARTNER AND THE VALUE EXCHANGE. OUR

PANEL WILL SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE

EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS

AS WELL AS A FEW WORDS OF WARNING

FROM LESS SUCCESSFUL ACTIVATIONS.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE RECIPE FOR A

PERFECT PARTNERSHIP, THIS IS THE TALK FOR

YOU. HEAR MORE OF OUR THOUGHTS ON THE

TOPIC IN OUR NEXT EDITION OF THE JOURNAL

AND ONLINE AT WWW.PARADISE.LONDON

PARADISE LONDON HOST A PANEL ON ‘AMPLIFYING BRANDS WITH MUSIC’ AT ADVERTISING WEEK EUROPE 2019.

JOIN US ON THE 18 TH, 20 TH AND 21 ST OF MARCH AT PICCADILLY PICTURE HOUSE FOR DRINKS AND LIVE MUSIC

LIVE LINE-UP

MODERN DAY JESTER THE GOOD TENANTS LOLÈ

CRSTIAN TR BEN HAYCOCK STELLA TALPO

RACHEL ROSE FADES LAUREN RAY

5.30-5.50 6.10-6.40 7.00-7.20

5.30-5.50 6.00-6.20 6.30-6.50

5.30-5.50 6.10-6.40 7.00-7.20

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TUESDAY, 19 MARCH AT 4:20 PMSTORY CRAFTERS STAGE, PICTURE HOUSE CENTRAL, W1D 7DH

PLDN | ISSUE #1 | 2019 WWW.PARADISE.LONDON6 7

ARADISE LONDON COLLABORATED

WITH THE SOUTH LONDON MEDIA

GIANT, ALONGSIDE COALITION

TALENT AND RAYMOND GUBBAY, TO

CREATE AN INTERNATIONAL LIVE TOUR:

THE ANNUAL CLASSICAL. A TRIBUTE TO

90’S DANCE CLASSICS, RE-IMAGINED BY

A LIVE ORCHESTRA AND FRONTED BY DJ

JUDGE JULES.

THE AGENCY PROVIDED THE SHOWS

OPENING DOCUMENTARY - ‘THE

HISTORY OF MINISTRY’ . A LONG-FORM

PIECE OF CONTENT DOCUMENTING THE

HISTORY OF THE CLUB, LABEL AND

BRAND FROM 1991 THROUGH TO THE

PRESENT DAY.

THE DOCUMENTARY OPENED THE

SHOW ON SATURDAY 26TH JANUARY

2019 AT THE ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL

ON LONDON’S SOUTHBANK.

‘OUR AIM WAS ALWAYS TO CREATE

SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL AND CINEMATIC. THE

SONG IS SO FULL OF EMOTION THAT WE FELT

COULD ONLY BE RE-ENACTED BY SOMETHING

SO VISUALLY CONNECTING.’

- NICKY COOK HEAD OF VIDEO

THE CREATIVE BEHIND THE DOCUMENTARY

USES CO-FOUNDER JUSTIN BERKMANN AS

THE CORE NARRATIVE AND LINKS THROUGH

10 DIFFERENT DJ’S ALL TELLING THEIR

VERSION OF THE STORY SIMULTANEOUSLY.

THE DOCUMENTARY WEAVES BETWEEN

HISTORIC CLUB FOOTAGE, SPLIT SCREEN

STYLING OF CLUB IMAGERY, CONTEMPORARY

B-ROLL OF THE CLUB AND A FULLY

ANIMATED TIMELINE THAT TAKES THE

USER BACK THROUGH THE YEARS.

“WE’RE EXTREMELY PROUD TO HAVE

BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO

CREATE THIS DOCUMENTARY. IT ’S SUCH

AN ICONIC BRAND.”

- NICK JEKYLL CREATIVE DIRECTOR

TURNS OUT, ASKING TWELVE DJS TO

REMEMBER THE 90’S CAN BE CHALLENGING.

SEE MORE AT @PARADISELONDON &

WWW.PARADISE.LONDON

“I DON’T FUCK I NG REMEMBER THE 90 ’S”WE DISCOVER THE HISTORY OF THE DISRUPTIVE AND ICONIC BRAND, MINISTRY OF SOUND WHILST SHOOTING THE DOCUMENTARY FOR THEIR ANNUAL CLASSICAL TOUR.

PHOTO COALITION

WWW.PARADISE.LONDON 9

NEW YORK 2019SHOOTING FOR BBC INTRODUCING WINTER JAZZ FESTPHOTO NICKY COOK

PLDN | ISSUE #1 | 2019 WWW.PARADISE.LONDON10 11

“THAT’S MY UKULELE” S HEAD OF STRATEGY FOR A

CREATIVE AGENCY IT’S A BIT HARD

TO PUT YOURSELF IN THE SHOES

OF ONE OF THE WORLD BIGGEST RECORDING

ARTISTS. BUT, FOR THE SAKE OF THIS STORY,

I WILL TRY TO SET A BIT OF CONTEXT AS TO

HOW BIG THIS EVENT IS.

NOT JUST FOR PLDN BUT, ALSO BECAUSE OF

HOW SPECIAL AND POIGNANT THE EVENT

IS FOR THE LONDON IRISH CENTRE. JOINED

BY ED SHEERAN, FRESH OFF OF HIS SOLD-

OUT #DIVIDEWORLDTOUR HE HAD ONLY

JUST PLAYED HIS LAST WEMBLEY DATE ON

SUNDAY (WHERE HE WAS JOINED BY THE

LIKES OF STORMZY AND ANDREA BOCELLI) .

ED SHEERAN PLAYS AN INTIMATE PARTY

AT THE LONDON IRISH CENTRE FOR ABOUT

THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY INVITED GUESTS.

TUCKED AWAY ON CAMDEN SQUARE, IT

WASN’T JUST A ‘GIG’ , INSTEAD, IT WAS A

PARTY, AND WHAT A PARTY IT WAS.

ONLY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE WE HAD

COME OFF OF OUR TOUR OF THE UK AND

IRELAND FILMING FOR JACK WILLS SUMMER

#HITTHEROADJACK CAMPAIGN. I HAD BEEN

DIRECTING THE IRISH LEG OF THE TOUR

WITH GEMITA SAMARRA AND NOW, WORKING

WITH THE LONDON IRISH CENTRE, I SAT

AND CHATTED WITH DERMOT O’LEARY, ED

SHEERAN (AND HIS DAD).

FROM JUST FIVE MINUTES CHATTING

TO DERMOT, YOU COULD TELL HE WAS

GENUINELY THERE BECAUSE HE BELIEVES

IN THE LONDON IRISH CENTRE. THIS WAS

HIS WAY OF HELPING AND YOU COULD TELL

FROM HIS ENTRANCE AT TO THE CENTRE, HE

WAS EXCITED ABOUT IT !

DURING THE DAY YOU COULDN’T TELL

WHETHER THE HUGE SPARK PRODUCTIONS

SET RIG WAS GOING TO BE POWERED BY

THE GIANT GENERATORS OUTSIDE, OR

THE ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT OF ALL

THE VOLUNTEERS AND STAFF PUTTING

THE EVENT TOGETHER! IN A SPECIAL

CONVERSATION, ORGANISED FOR HEADLINE

SPONSOR TOURISM IRELAND AND AFTER ED’S

‘VIP ’ MEET AND GREET, HE JOINED DERMOT

ON STAGE TO DISCUSS THEIR MEMORIES,

FAVOURITE PLACES AND WHAT IRELAND

MEANS TO THEM. THEY TALKED ABOUT THEIR

FAVOURITE PLACES, GIGS AND VENUES IN

IRELAND AND THE REASON WHY WE WERE

ALL THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE: TO RAISE

WELL-NEEDED FUNDS FOR THE LONDON

IRISH CENTRE SIX MILLION POUND VENUE

REFURBISHMENT.

NATURALLY, ED WASN’T ALONE ON STAGE

FOR LONG BEFORE HE WAS JOINED BY

VARIOUS MUSIC ARTISTS WHO HAD INSPIRED

HIM OVER THE YEARS. HE’S SECOND

GENERATION AND HAVING SPENT LOTS OF

TIME WITH FAMILY IN IRELAND, WEXFORD IN

PARTICULAR. MAKING HIM THE PERFECT HIGH

PROFILE PATRON FOR THE LONDON IRISH

CENTRE.

ED AND DERMOT JOINED ME ON THE PLDN

LOUNGE SOFA, JOINED BY THE METRO, RTE

AND OTHER PRESS TEAMS THEY WATCHED

US FILM. I SAT DOWN AND CHATTED WITH

ED AND DERMOT WHILST OUR PRODUCTION

TEAM INCLUDING NICKY (HEAD OF FILM),

JONNY (PRODUCTION MANAGER), NICK

(CREATIVE DIRECTOR), AND LUKE (SOCIAL

MEDIA MANAGER) FILMED. WE EXPLORED

WHAT MADE LIC SPECIAL TO THEM, WHAT

WERE THEY MOST EXCITED ABOUT AHEAD

OF THE PARTY DOWNSTAIRS LATER IN THE

EVENING. IT WAS ALREADY THE BIGGEST

EVENT THE VENUE HAD EVER PUT ON AND

IT WAS SET TO BE A UNIQUE AND INTIMATE

EVENING CELEBRATING IRELAND AND ITS

MUSICAL INFLUENCES.

MARTIN (PLDN OPERATIONS DIRECTOR) HAD

BROUGHT ALONG A UKULELE FOR ED TO SIGN

AND WE THEN FOUND OUT WHETHER OR NOT

DERMOT COULD, IN FACT, PLAY THE UKULELE

BETTER THAN ED (YOU’LL HAVE TO WATCH

OUR OFFICIAL BACKSTAGE CONTENT TO FIND

OUT THE ANSWER TO THAT).

BEFORE WE WRAPPED THE INTERVIEW WE

ALSO DISCUSSED WHAT (AS LIC PATRONS)

THEIR PLANS WERE FOR THE FUTURE

REGARDING THE NEW CONCEPT; ‘DERMOT &

FRIENDS: AN EVENING WITH’ . AS WE TALKED

ABOUT WHO WAS JOINING ED AND DERMOT

THAT NIGHT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT

GUESTS ATTENDING - WE JOKED ABOUT

OUR JOINT APPRECIATION FOR THE IRISH

TV SHOW LOVE/HATE (NO SPOILERS, I ’M

STILL ON SEASON THREE). EVENT GUESTS

INCLUDED MEMBERS OF THE CAST WHO

WERE HEADING DOWN FOR THE PARTY. ED

MENTIONED HOW THE LIC WAS GOING TO BE

CONSIDERED THE FUTURE ‘GO TO’ CULTURAL

DESTINATION FOR CELEBRATING IRISH

COMMUNITY.

BOTH THESE GUYS WERE ON GOOD

FORM AND EVEN ON THE VERGE OF THE

OBLIGATORY POST-TOUR COLD/FLU, ED

WENT DOWNSTAIRS AND SMASHED THROUGH

ABOUT TWELVE SONGS. . .

TO READ THE FULL INTERVIEW, VISIT

WWW.PARADISE.LONDON

BEHIND THE SCENES OF DERMOT O’LEARY AND ED SHEERAN’S ‘PRIVATE PARTY’ FOR LONDON IRISH CENTRE WITH PLDN

PHOTO JOYCE NICHOLLS

PLDN | ISSUE #1 | 2019 12

GREY CLOUDY MORNING IN

SEPTEMBER, DARK OMINOUS

CLOUDS SWEEP ACROSS THE

LONDON SKYLINE AS THE PARADISE LONDON

CREATIVE TEAM DESCEND UPON HEATHROW

AIRPORT. THE TEAM WAS A MIXED BAG OF

EXCITEMENT, NERVES AND ADRENALINE -

CHECKING LAST MINUTE EMAILS AND ADDING

DIVERTS TO THE WORK PHONES. THE TEAM

WERE EQUIPPED WITH THE STANDARD

PARADISE LONDON MERCHANDISE KIT -

A BLACK BRANDED TOTE BAG CONTAINING

DISPOSABLE CAMERAS, LANYARDS AND

POWERBANKS - THREE NECESSARY

COMPONENTS TO DOCUMENT WHAT WAS

GOING TO BE FOUR DAYS IN THE ‘CITY THAT

NEVER SLEEPS.’ THE TEAM ARRIVED AND

CHECKED IN AT THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS

VEGAS, SIPPING APEROL SPRITZ BY THE POOL

BAR AND ASSESSING QUITE HOW MUCH THEY

WERE WILLING TO LOSE ON THE TABLES.

INSPIRED BY LOCATION VIEWS FROM THE

HOTEL, A GQ THEMED PHOTOSHOOT WAS

ON THE CARDS FOR THE FIRST EVENING AS

THE TEAM (DRESSED IN LONDON’S FINEST)

RIGGED THE SET UPON THE COSMO ROOFTOP

SECURING A FEATURE ON THE HOTEL

INSTAGRAM PAGE. YOU CAN SEE THE SEE THE

FULL GALLERY ON WWW.PARADISE.LONDON

EVENING TRIPS TO OMNIA FOR CALVIN

HARRIS’S RESIDENCY AND AN INFAMOUS

OCEANS ELEVEN STYLE WALK VIA THE LAS

VEGAS SIGN ENSURED SOCIAL MEDIA AND

BRAND IDENTITY WAS KEPT UP TO SCRATCH

ON NIGHT TWO.

THE TEAM MET AND DINED WITH THE

MARKETING TEAM AT TAO NIGHTCLUB AND

WERE JOINED BY OUT OF TOWN AGENCY

FRIENDS ON THE THIRD NIGHT AS THEY

DESCENDED UPON THE MGM AND BELLAGIO

TRADING FLOORS. A CLOSING BRUNCH AT

THE PEPPERMILL AND ONE LAST ROLL OF

THE DICE AT THE VENETIAN WRAPPED QUITE

POSSIBLY THE TEAM’S FINEST (AND MOST

WELL DESERVED) TRIP TO DATE.

ON TO THE NEXT. . . WHERE ARE MY SKIS!?WWW.PARADISE.LONDON 13

WHAT HAPPENSIN VEGAS

PARADISE LONDON’S AGENCY TRIP TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR. NOTHING BEATS A TRIP TO SIN CITY TO BLOW OFF SOME STEAM.

“THIS WAS A CHANCE TO CELEBRATE OUR SUCCESS AS A TEAM. WE’VE HAD A FANTASTIC YEAR OF

BUSINESS SO FAR ACROSS ALL PILLARS OF THE AGENCY - WHAT BETTER PLACE TO CELEBRATE

THAN LAS VEGAS”

NICK JEKYLL CREATIVE DIRECTOR

PLDN | ISSUE #1 | 2019 WWW.PARADISE.LONDON14 15

ARE YOU

ON THE

LIST?

ARADISE LONDON LIVE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THEIR NEXT LONDON

SHOWCASE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH WHITE CITY HOUSE ON TUESDAY 16TH

APRIL 2019. SHOWCASING EMERGING TALENT, PARADISE LONDON LIVE IS

PROUD TO PRESENT SOME OF THE BEST NEW MUSIC LONDON HAS TO OFFER AT ONE

THE CITIES MOST EXCLUSIVE MEMBERS CLUBS.

FIRST ON THE BILL IS ELENI DRAKE - A TALENTED SINGER, SONGWRITER WHOSE

SONGS ARE DECORATED WITH A WONDERFUL MIXTURE OF BLUES AND JAZZ.

CREATING UNIQUE, VINTAGE AND GORGEOUS SOUNDING BALLADS HER BROODING

AND MOODY SONGS ARE SELF-PRODUCED AND A CLEAR VIEW INTO HER HEART.

FOLLOWED BY ALTERNATIVE POP TRIO FADES , WHOSE DEBUT SINGLE ‘WATERFALL’

SECURED SYNC ON LOVE ISLAND AND BT SPORT. IT GENERATED OVER 300K STREAMS

IN ITS FIRST 2 MONTHS OF RELEASE. THEY’RE CURRENTLY PREPARING FOR THEIR

FIRST SET OF LONDON HEADLINE SHOWS IN MARCH, WITH THEIR 2ND SINGLE

‘WASTED’ OPENING TO 5 NEW MUSIC FRIDAY PLAYLISTS ON SPOTIFY.

THE HEADLINER IS NONE OTHER THAN MULTI INSTRUMENTALIST DUO HANNIE .

HANNAH KOPPENBURG AND ANNIE WAGSTAFF INITIALLY MET AT MUSIC UNIVERSITY

AND WITHIN A YEAR GAINED OVER 300,000 FOLLOWERS AND HAVE RELEASED FIVE

SINGLES, FEATURING THE LIKES OF RALPH, HIGHT, CARYS SELVEY AND MANY MORE.

FREE GUEST LIST ENTRY EXCLUSIVELY AT WWW.PARADISE.LONDON/GUESTLIST

W H I T E C I T Y H O U S E

PARADISE LONDON HOST ANOTHER ICONIC SHOWCASE OF NEW TALENT AT NEW HOTSPOT - WHITE CITY HOUSE.

PLDN | ISSUE #1 | 2019 WWW.PARADISE.LONDON16 17

BECAUSE THAT’S HOW MUSIC IS RELEASED.

THEY ALL HAVE PLACE. BUT VINYL IS AN

ARCHIVE. FROM A DJ PERSPECTIVE CLUBS A

CALIBRATED FOR THE DIGITAL AGE. YOUNGER

PEOPLE ARE BUYING IT AS A PERMANENT

COPY, WE CAN OWN THAT. WITH THE DIGITAL

AGE IT ’S MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE DON’T

OWN A PHYSICAL COPY. IF SOMEONE TURNED

IT ALL OFF AND WE WERE LEFT WITHOUT THE

INTERNET. VINYL, CASSETTES AND PHYSICAL

MUSIC COULD STILL BE LISTENED TO AND

SURVIVE. THAT’S WHY CD’S STILL HAVE A PLACE

TOO.

@RSHURSTY DO YOU THINK THAT ‘THE

MOUNTAIN WILL FALL’ BEING RELEASED

ACROSS STREAMING SERVICES, WILL HAS HAD

AN EFFECT ON THE MUSIC YOU PRODUCE, NOW

IT IS MORE COMMERCIALLY ACCESSIBLE TO A

NEW AUDIENCE?

DJ SHADOW ALTHOUGH I BELIEVE VINYL IS THE

MOST ENDURING FORMAT – I AM NOT, (WHICH

MAY COME AS AS SURPRISE) , A VINYL PURIST.

WE USED TO (1980-90’S) SELL 40,000 12”

RECORDS IN A WEEKEND! NOW THE NUMBER 1

ELECTRONIC ALBUM IN THE US SELLS 7,000. SO

IT ’S DIFFICULT TO WORK OUT HOW IT WORKS

NOW. WHEN MY FIRST ALBUM (ENDTRODUCING)

THERE WAS A VERY ESTABLISHED WAY PEOPLE

BOUGHT AND CONSUMED MUSIC. IF YOU MADE

A GOOD RECORD, ON A COMMERCIAL BASIS

YOU COULD REALLY PROSPER.

@RSHURSTY NOW YOUR ENTIRE BACK

CATALOGUE IS ON SPOTIFY/ITUNES – IT OPENS

YOU UP TO A NEW, YOUNGER, STREAMING

GENERATION RATHER THAN JUST YOUR

ORIGINAL FANS?

DJ SHADOW WE ALL HAVE ACCESS TO

EVERYTHING, WE’RE ALL OVERLOADED,

INSPIRED AND HAVE SO MUCH CHOICE AT

OUR FINGERTIPS. IN THE OLDEN DAYS THERE

WAS NARROWER WINDOW, ONLY A CERTAIN

AMOUNT OF RECORDS WERE RELEASED EACH

WEEK - MAYBE 20 SIGNIFICANT RELEASES ON A

WEEKEND. NOW, YOU HAVE 200 MIX TAPES, 500

ALBUMS, AND 20,000 SINGLES. FOR THE 2003

BBC ESSENTIAL MIX FOR GLASTONBURY I HAD

NO IDEA OF THE CONTEXT OF THE ESSENTIAL

MIX, NOR WHEN I DID THE BOILER-ROOM - I

JUST AGREED AND DID IT. I JUST WENT ON A

RANDOM RAP TANGENT, THEN 2ND HOUR DID

SOMETHING I HADN’T DONE BEFORE – MIXING

PSYCHEDELIC GRUNGE RECORDS – IT WASN’T

HOUSE MUSIC, IT WAS UNIQUE.

I HELD BACK THE CASSETTE DEMO FOR YEARS,

AND NOW I KNOW THAT THE ESSENTIAL MIX IS ,

I TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. NOT JUST SOMETHING I

THROW OUT AND THINK ‘THAT’S GOOD ENOUGH’

I PUT A MONTH INTO A 1 HOUR MIX’ . SAMPLING

JOHN PEEL WAS A HOMAGE, INTRODUCED BY

JULES THE AUDIENCE NOW KNOW – THIS WILL

BE SPECIAL. DIFFERENT TIMING TO MAKING AN

ALBUM BUT THE PROCESS IS THE SAME. FOR

EXAMPLE. WHEN I S IT DOWN TO MAKE MUSIC

(THIS ALBUM TOOK 8 MONTHS TO MAKE),

IT ’S THE LAST 20% THAT TAKES 7 MONTHS.

THE CRUX OF THE ALBUM TAKES LIKE THREE

WEEKS. THE REST OF THE TIME TO FINESSE.

FINDING THOSE SPECIAL MOMENTS THAT KICK

AN ALBUM OFF AND BREAK IT UP FROM JUST

A LISTEN END-TO-END KIND OF ALBUM. THAT’S

WHAT ‘NO BODY SPEAK’ IS . IT CAME FROM

COLLABORATION AND A JOINT MESSAGE OF

US ALL WANTING TO MAKE A STATEMENT.

THE VIDEO REFLECTS THAT. (DIRECTED BY

SAM PILLING AND PRODUCED BY PULSE FILMS,

STARS IGOR TSYSHKEVYCH AND IAN BAILEY,

SHOT IN NYC, LONDON AND UKRAINE.)

@RSHURSTY DO YOU THINK IF YOU HAD SIGNED

TO NINJA TUNE IT WOULD HAVE INFLUENCED

THE MUSIC YOU RELEASED ORIGINALLY?

DJ SHADOW I KNEW WHAT THEIR ROOTS

WERE. MO’WAX, COLD CUT. THEY TEASED AND

EXPLORED HOUSE MUSIC AT A TIME WHEN

HIP HOP WAS MY SOURCE OF CREATIVITY.

NINJA TUNE TOOK MUSIC IN A DIRECTION I

PERSONALLY WASN’T HEADED AT THE TIME, BUT

WAS RIGHT FOR WHAT WAS HAPPENING OVER

HERE, THEY WERE PIONEERS WITH RELEASES

FROM CINEMATIC AND TOBIN. I WAS INTO HIP

HOP AND WAS IN THE US – HIP HOP WAS AT

AN ALL TIME CREATIVE HIGH. I WANTED TO

EXPLORE THAT. OVER TIME NINJA TUNE AND

MO’WAX EVOLVED, AND CREATED A NEW ROAD

MAP WITH (MR) SCRUFF AND HERBALIZER. TO

MAKE SOMETHING WITH MYSTERY, A SENSE OF

SOMETHING DIFFERENT – THAT’S WHERE HIP

HOP INFLUENCED ME, MAKE IT ORIGINAL. BUT

RESPECT WHAT IT IS YOU ARE USING.

WE WRAPPED UP OUR CONVERSATION IN

SUCH AN ORGANIC WAY AND I LEFT HUMBLED,

EXCITED AND INSPIRED TO EXPLORE MORE

NEW AND OLD MUSIC. NATURALLY, I ALSO

RAN TO TELL MY PALS THAT I HAD JUST MET A

HERO/LEGEND WHO ACTUALLY LIVED UP TO MY

EXPECTATIONS. AS RAINY DAYS IN WHITE CITY

GO, THIS WAS UP THERE WITH THE BEST OF

THEM. I GOT TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE I TRULY

RESPECTED AS A CREATOR, AN INNOVATOR

AND A SUPER FUCKING DOPE DJ.

VISIT WWW.PARADISE.LONDON FOR THE FULL

INTERVIEW AND MORE MUSIC NEWS.

A RAINY TUESDAY IN WHITE CITY,

WITH A STACK OF DOG-EARED

RECORDS UNDER MY ARM AND IN

THE MIDDLE OF HIS ‘MOUNTAIN WILL FALL’

WORLD TOUR, DJ SHADOW HAS AGREED

TO MEET WITH ME. IN THE LOUNGE OF HIS

HOTEL, JOINED BY HIS MASS APPEAL LABEL

MANAGER, WE TALK ABOUT HIS TOP 3

VINYL CHART ALBUM ‘THE MOUNTAIN WILL

FALL’ , NEW BEATS, INSPIRATIONS AND HIS

THOUGHTS ON THE RESURGENCE OF THE

VINYL.

DURING OUR CHAT I MANAGED TO FIND OUT

WHAT SAMPLE HE HAD USED IN A SONG, LIKE

THE MUSICAL EQUIVALENT OF FINDING A

FUCKING UNICORN IN BRIXTON! DJ SHADOW

IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL DJ/PRODUCER.

FOR EXAMPLE, HIS COLLABORATION WITH

‘RUN THE JEWELS - NO BODY SPEAK’ HAS

BECOME AN UNOFFICIAL ANTHEM FOR

POLITICAL UPSET AND A VOICE FOR THE

PEOPLE. SHADOW PERSONIFIES AN INNATE

UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTRICACIES OF

BUILDING A SONG AND ULTIMATELY AN

ALBUM MEANS. IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR

WITH DJ SHADOW AS AN ARTISTS THEN

SIT BACK, POP YOUR HEADPHONES IN AND

ENJOY ‘ENDTRODUCING, WHILST YOU READ

THIS.

YOU MAY RECOGNISE ‘SYSTEMATIC‘ FROM

HBO’S SILICONE VALLEY, FEATURING NAS

AND HIS ‘S IX DAYS‘ TRACK FROM THE FAST

AND FURIOUS FRANCHISE. IF YOU LIKE HIP

HOP, TRIP HOP, RAP, AND ARTISTS SUCH AS

RUN THE JEWELS, BONOBO, DJ VADIM, DJ

FOOD, PUBLIC ENEMY, UNKLE, HERBALIZER,

CUT CHEMIST OR ARTISTS ON LABELS MASS

APPEAL, NINJA TUNE OR MO’WAX, THEN

HIS BACK CATALOUGE IS SOMETHING TO

WRAP YOUR EARS AROUND. THE MUSIC

PRODUCED BY DJ SHADOW IS AS DIVERSE,

ECLECTIC AND UNEXPECTED. EACH TRACK

IS A SHOWCASE OF THE SKILL IT TAKES TO

CREATE YOUR OWN MUSIC. FOR THOSE NOT

FAMILIAR WITH SAMPLING: NOUN. ‘A SOUND

OF SHORT DURATION, AS A MUSICAL TONE

OR A DRUMBEAT, DIGITALLY STORED IN A

SYNTHESISER FOR PLAYBACK’ . FOR THOSE

WHO ARE NEW TO AND CURRENTLY LOSING

THEMSELVES IN THE VINYL RESURGENCE, OR

PERHAPS EVER LISTENED TO A JAY-Z, KANYE

SONG THEN THIS IS FOR YOU, SOMETHING

YOU’LL BE FAMILIAR WITH.

WHILST WORKING AT THE OFFICIAL CHART

COMPANY, WE HAD LAUNCHED THE FIRST

OFFICIAL VINYL CHART: A NEW CHART

WHICH CELEBRATED THE RESURGENCE AND

REVIVED POPULARITY OF THE ORIGINAL

FORMAT. ‘MOUNTAIN WILL FALL’ REACHED

NUMBER 3 ON THE OFFICIAL VINYL CHART IN

ITS WEEK OF RELEASE.

@RSHURSTY WITH STREAMING SERVICES

IN MIND. WHAT EFFECT DO YOU THINK THE

RESURGENCE [OF VINYL] HAS ON RELEASING

NEW MUSIC COMPARED TO WHEN YOU

STARTED OUT.

DJ SHADOW VINYL HAS BEEN AROUND FOR

OVER 130 YEARS NOW, IT ’S AN ENDURING

FORMAT. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ASSUME

I AM A VINYL PURIST. I ’M NOT, FOR ME IT ’S

PRAGMATIC, I COLLECT CASSETTE TAPES, 8

TRACKS, REEL TO REEL, CD, MP3S, WAV FILES

RICHARD STAPLEHURST

HEAD OF STRATEGY

PARADISE LONDON

TALKING MIXTAPES AND THE ENDURING LOVE FOR THE WHEELS OF STEEL WITH DJ SHADOW

“IF SOMEONE TURNED IT ALL OFF AND WE

WERE LEFT WITHOUT THE INTERNET. VINYL,

CASSETTES, AND PHYSICAL MUSIC COULD STILL

BE LISTENED TO AND SURVIVE. THAT’S WHY

CD’S STILL HAVE A PLACE TOO.” – DJ SHADOW

PLDN | ISSUE #1 | 2019 18 WWW.PARADISE.LONDON 19

NICK JEKYLLCREATIVE DIRECTOR NICK.JEKYLL@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

MARTIN DUNNOPERATIONS DIRECTOR MARTIN.DUNN@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

RICHARD STAPLEHURSTHEAD OF STRATEGY & PLDN LIVE HOST

RICHARD.STAPLEHURST@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

JONNY GARNERPRODUCTION MANAGER

JONNY.GARNER@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

LEVON GHARIBIANHEAD OF SALES

LEVON@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

FINN RUSSELLHEAD OF CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT & PARTNERSHIPS

FINN@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

DAN BROOKESHEAD OF DIGITAL

DAN@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

MIKEY FARQUHARCREATIVE ACCOUNT MANAGER

MIKEY@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

ASHLEIGH GIESLERSENIOR CREATIVE

ASHLEIGH.GIESLER@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

LUKE JEKYLLMARKETING MANAGER

LUKE@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

NICKY COOKHEAD OF VIDEO

NICKY.COOK@PARADISELONDON.CO.UK

THE TEAM

THE BRANDS FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

N O U N . A N I D Y L L I C P L A C E O R S T A T E‘ A P L A C E O R C O N D I T I O N O F G R E A T H A P P I N E S S W H E R E E V E R Y T H I N G I S

E X A C T LY A S Y O U W O U L D L I K E I T T O B E ’

S Y N O N Y M S . B L I S S , H E A V E N , E C S T A S Y, R A P T U R E , D E L I G H T , J O Y, H A P P I N E S S ,

N I R V A N A , S E V E N T H H E A V E N , H E A V E N O N E A R T H

PARADISE LONDON

L O N D O N + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 7 8 8 7 2 9 9 5

E M A I L E N Q U I R I E S @ P A R A D I S L O N D O N . C O . U K

H E A D O F F I C E L U P U S H O U S E 1 3 M A C K L I N S T R E E T L O N D O N W C 2 B 5 N H

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