Steve "Silk" Hurley
STEVE HURLEY: What inspires me is the fact that I can do what I love for a living, and still take care of my family. Even when I have those days where nothing seems to go right, all I have to do is think about the days when I worked a 9 to 5, doing something that I hated to do, and watching the clock all day... THAT'S INSPIRATION ENOUGH FOR ME!
I would say that that was the most trying time of my career was when I went through a lawsuit from 1993 to 1995 with my former management. However, it was one of the most important turning points of my life as well. It was the start of a new chapter in my life.
5 MAGAZINE: When writing a song, what is the process you go through? Do you start with the beat, the bassline, a vocal?
STEVE HURLEY: I start with chord progressions first, because I want to move people with my music. Once you know what chord progressions you want, you can then produce the track in whatever style you want using those chord progressions as a guide. If I'm working with a vocalist from scratch, they may sing while I develop chord progressions. Then, once we establish the song's structure, I'll work on the production while they write lyrics. The other way I work with vocalists is to give them a track and let them write to it. Once we record the vocals, I'll usually end up "remixing" the track to make it complement the vocal even more. Occasionally, if I'm making a groove-oriented track, I may start with the bassline and drums, but usually, it's the chords first.
5 MAGAZINE: It has been said that there is a stronger appreciation for House in Europe than in the U.S. Any ideas as to why this may be? Is there any hope for House to ever get close to where hip-hop is?
STEVE HURLEY: In the US, there are a lot of House fans, but there's a disconnect between the clubgoers and the music that they hear. Because House Music is not usually played in rotation on the radio, consumers have no way of knowing what the music actually is. Therefore, they usually have to buy a mixed CD of their favorite DJ to get the music, not knowing if they will even get that song that they heard in the club last night. Most consumers don't have a clue what song they are hearing at a House club. I think it can go to the next level once we start educating our patrons on what the music is and where they can buy it. Hip-hop is fed to the consumer through radio, videos, and other media, then made available through a sophisticated distribution system. House Music is finally starting to be made available through online distribution such as iTunes, beatport, and
traxsource; now we just to get the promotion to another level.
5 MAGAZINE: Where do you see dance music going ten years from now?
STEVE HURLEY: With technology being where it is today, it can't go anywhere but up. Dance music enthusiasts tend to be more technologically advanced, so I think the internet is definitely going to be House Music's biggest ally. With satellite and internet radio, and the increased awareness of where to buy the music that we hear, It will not matter whether we hear dance music on conventional radio. It will be everywhere else.
5 MAGAZINE: What is a typical day for Steve Hurley?
STEVE HURLEY: 6:30 am. Make sure my 15 year old daughter is up. I heard her alarm go off a few times, each time followed by a loud slapping noise on the SNOOZE BUTTON.
7:15 am. Get my 5 and 10 year-old daughters up for school (usually takes a couple of tries). Take my 15 year old daughter to school (or give them breakfast - my wife and I take turns doing this). Make their lunches while my wife does their hair. My wife usually takes the little ones to school - we carpool with a neighbor.
It's 8:30 am, and NOW I'M FREE. I immediately hit the computer and phones, checking e-mails, messages, iChat, MSN Messenger, MySpace, and wearing about 20 different hats as a LAWYER, AGENT, PRODUCER, ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE, PROMOTIONS, YOU NAME IT (I love it though)!
By 4:00 pm, I finally get to go into the studio and do some music. It may be an Old Skool/New Skool Remix for the Tom Joyner Morning Show, or new tracks for my music library that's featured on the Oprah show. I may be finishing up a track for the Chicago LP Project that I have coming out, or recording vocals on my 15 year-old daughter B. Laurén, an R&B singer/songwriter ala Beyoncé, Mariah, Amerie, Alicia Keys. No telling what it will be, but as long as it's music, my day is complete.
MIDNIGHT. Oops, I forgot that DJ Skip and I need to go to a club and do some videotaping for the Chicago LP CD/DVD Project that's dropping this Spring. I guess my work is never done!
4:30 am. Arrive back at home; Skip kept me out all night.
6:30 am. START ALL OVER AGAIN!
5 MAGAZINE: Tell us about this new DVD project you are doing with other Chicago producers.
STEVE HURLEY: DJ Skip and myself have joined forces to start the label, S&S Records (Silk & Skip), and to put together a CD/DVD project called The Chicago LP. The Chicago LP fuses the past, present, and future of House Music, which is the foundation of today's electronic dance music. For the first time ever, we were able to bring together Chicago's Pioneers of House Music with the next generation of Grammy Award winners and international hit-makers.
The CD is a collection of 20 new and never before heard House records from Farley "Jackmaster" Funk, DJ Pierre, Paul Johnson, DJ Skip, DJ Rhythm, Roy Davis Jr., Ron Carroll, Eric "E-Smoove" Miller, Maurice Joshua, Bad Boy Bill, DJ Wayne Williams, Stacy Kidd, CZR, Mr. K-Alexi, Malik Yusef, DJ Slugo, DJ Lego, George Jackson, Fast Eddie, Hyper Harp, Marshall Jefferson, Kelly G., and myself, Steve "Silk" Hurley. Several singers will also be featured, including Xaveria Gold, Delano, Kevin Irving, Syleena Johnson, Dani, Javante, Jamie Principle, and a few surprise guests that are in the works. We've also included a bonus DVD documentary that chronicles the beginning and the future of the Chicago House movement. The DVD also includes the inspiring story of world renowned DJ Paul Johnson, and how he has overcome being confined to a wheelchair to become a superstar DJ. We've got in-studio interviews, out-takes, neighborhood shots, and live DJ sets as well. It's coming out this Spring, and I'm really excited.
5 MAGAZINE: Any final words you'd like to say to our readers?
STEVE HURLEY: Thank you everyone for all of your support of House Music and me throughout the years. I also hope you will continue to support this magazine, because it is a pure magazine that is reminding the world where House Music came from and where it is headed. Great job, 5 Magazine - Czarina and Freddie especially!
I'd also like to send a shoutout to my staff producers, John "DJ JM3," Tony Blowe, and Mogie Israel, along with my future superstar artists, B. Laurén, and N-Tyce, and my partner DJ Skip. And of course, thanks to all of my Chicago people that participated on our ground-breaking project.
In addition to his hits and remixes, Steve "Silk" Hurley can be heard on the Tom Joyner Morning Show on over 128 radio stations in the US. The Old Skool/New Skool Remix airs at 6:35am and 8:35am [Central] every Tuesday & Thursday. The Chicago LP will be in stores this Spring, and the DVD trailer can be seen here. S&S Records is online at snsrecords.com.
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