He didn't grow up in a Southside church or cut his teeth at a Deep South Baptist revival, but to hear Phil Hooton's music, you could certainly think so. From the UK, Phil Hooton (myspace, facebook, label, discogs) gospel-tinged compositions and DJ sets have earned him the acclaim of Deep House pioneers from Glenn Underground and Kerri Chandler to Farley Jackmaster Funk, as well as Chicago's Nu Bang Clan, which just inducted him as a member. Together with Phil Asher, Mr. Hooton has to be considered on anyone's shortlist of the hottest UK producers on the scene today.

Now situated stateside, Phil blew through Chicago for a series of memorable gigs this summer. We got a chance to talk to him shortly after he arrived back in New York City, where he's gigging around the city and planning the next stack of Rapture Trax releases.

 

 

First of all, let me say it's a pleasure to know you're here! There are a lot of UK cats, people like Phil Asher, who might never come to America except for the Winter Music Conference. When was your first time in the States?
That would have been early 2000, and it was actually for WMC. I was just starting out in production. At the time I was just a resident DJ in Leeds, nobody special for sure, but I'd been in the studio with Farley and definitely got the bug. At WMC - I don't know what it was - but I played at an outdoor party and the whole poolside just went bananas. I was surprised. I think my sound was just right for that time - it was that mid-'90s sound, downtempo and more soulful than what a lot of people were playing.

 

How did you meet up with Farley?
It's the funniest story. I wasn't anybody then. Completely out of the blue, Farley called and said he wanted to meet with me. Of course I knew who he was from the old classic Chicago productions.

So we sit down and meet and he says, "I don't want to freak you out, but you've been chosen to spread the Word." Really, I was completely unknown at the time so this was even stranger to me!

It was 1998 and I'd just been saved, and my whole life was like stepping into The Matrix. I'd lost my day job and my family was saying to me, you know, you're putting this effort into this DJ thing but there doesn't seem to be much return. It was a crucial moment and I'll never forget it.

 

You're a Christian, correct?
Yeah. When I was in Chicago recently I went to Farley's church with him - he's been like a brother to me. When I was growing up I sang in a gospel choir, but that was it. It's funny though how sublime and unknowing life is. I always liked gospel music and had an affinity for it, even though it was never especially trendy. It was just listening to records and building a collection when I was very young, around eight years old, then learning to play drums in marching band and singing in choir.

 

It's odd that you have this kinship with people half-way across the world. What do you attribute it to? Is it a musical fellowship or are your people skills just that amazing?
My people skills are rubbish! [laughs] I just do my own thing with my music. I'm not one to hang around the party all night and talk people up. With Glenn [Underground], he just listened to my stuff and it grew from there. It's a kinship through the music, really. This is incredibly flattering to me. I'd have to say Glenn and Kerri Chandler are among my favorite producers.

 

So much of your material is released under pseudonyms.
That's correct. And actually that was a bit of wisdom I learned from Farley. He told me that if you have several releases out at the same time, pick pseudonyms for them. I guess back in the day, he would see people go into record shops and, not being wealthy, they would just pick one Farley record if he had several on the shelf. But if he used a pseudonym, they'd walk out with three Farley records and not even know it. I thought it was an interesting way to get around judging things by what's on the label.

The Brooklyn Knightz is the name I use for collaborations with Rob Da Noize Temple, such as "Believe". Jersey Katz is another name for tracks produced both solo and with Charles Gatling, such as "Spirit" [with Libby Jones from Blaze] and "Gotta Have Hope" with Joey Washington. And then there's The Mitchell Bruvers, which is kind of a play on the Mitchell Brothers from the BBC TV show EastEnders.

 

So tell me about your label Rapture Trax and what you have planned.
Oh yes, Rapture Trax is definitely where I show my gospel side, as well as a few tracky things. We have a lot of releases coming out. These are songs I've written in the last five or six years that I'm preparing for an album. There are collaborations with vocalists Arnold Jarvis, Kenny Bobien and Stephanie Cooke. I also have forthcoming productions with Craig Loftis and various things with Glenn, Keith Thompson... I've really discovered the power of healing in lyrics.

We're starting off a residency here in New York at Langston's in mid-October, and I'm really excited to be playing the Sullivan Room on October 4th with Tony Humphries.

All of this is about the music and using it to elevate people. That's all. I just want to hit people and pick them up with a song.

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:: posted dec 14 by terry matthew in features, october 2009 issue

:: related articles Cz's Night Out Photo Gallery August 2009 Blog: My Week So Far July 2009