And in addition to the huge catalog, how much unreleased material do you have in various states of completion lying around?

There's a lot of unreleased music, and too many unfinished projects! If after one day of working on a project, I don't feel it so much, it gets put on the back burner.

I'd say at a guess there's gotta be around 1500 unreleased songs sitting on them DATS.

How many of the instruments on The Rurals albums do you play? On an average release, how many of the instruments that come out in the final mix were recorded live?

All the instruments are always recorded live! I like the sound to be loose and warm.

I can pull off most instruments to an extent, but my main one is guitar (and bass). Sometimes less is more! But sometimes I call in the crew for a full production.

You've really created a signature Deep House sound that's strictly your own. I was amazed then by your last release, Rural Disco Vibes, which was one of the funkiest records I've heard in a long time. Do you ever feel boxed in by The Rurals' legacy?

I'm breaking those boxes! I like to produce so many different styles, so I can keep the inspiration fresh. I like to do Jazz, Downtempo, Soul, Hip-Hop, Deep House, Acid House, Disco... anything!

Okay, check this out. I found all of the songs for Disco Vibes parts 1 and 2 on some old DATS, twelve or fourteen years old! That stuff was, well, too crazy to release back then - the time for them is now! I played all songs from both EPs back-to-back in Bulgaria last week, and the energy from them is relentless! When you thought it couldn't get more intense...

The next two EPs in the special edition series are gonna be FAT deep unreleased babys.... and then I'm gonna compile them into the next Rurals LP.

Will there be more solo tours, DJ gigs and the like? How would you compare the experience of just being by yourself with a couple of turntables vs. touring with The Rurals?

My present situation has allowed me to hit the road. I'm on a mission now to spread the love through music, starting with DJ tours, and then I'll work out a more "live" outfit. To be honest there was never an extensive Rurals outfit on the road. The musicians I use mostly have day jobs so it was awkward. I just used to DJ with Marie singing live.

We're still getting Rurals releases as well as your solo work. What new stuff do you have coming up on both fronts?

There's gonna be the Rurals LP and special edition Rurals singles, with Disco and Deep vibes. As I was saying, I'm also doing remix work as The Rurals.

On the solo front I'm working on wrapping my first LP, to be released by the end of the year. I'm putting special love into this one, as I feel I have a point to prove!

Singles-wise I have my EP "Save The Children" ready to drop in September - it's a deep one!

Also in September I have a release on an Australian label "SHE" featuring Diviniti titled "In Time", and in October I'll release a new song on Peng featuring Kafele and Sophia, titled "I Don't Want To See The Sun".

The photos for this article © Wendy Brooking '09 (theunofficialphotographer.net). You can contact Andy Compton via myspace.com/andycomptonvibes and peng.co.uk.