DJ Justin Johnson and the Breakbeat (R)Evolution
Justin Johnson’s DJing roots go back to his 1980s high school radio station days in San Rafael, California, but it wasn’t until he started working at the infamous Satellite Records in NYC that his dreams of starting up his own label really came together.
“Those people clearly don’t know their musical history and how much influence breaks actually have on other genres. Drum & bass and breaks were doing massively gnarly basslines before anybody else.”
While the erstwhile label owner of Barely Legal Records is down with the sounds of house music across the board, there was (and still is) something special about broken beats that continues to inspire the San Francisco Bay Area DJ/producer to this day:
“I can’t really explain it, other than it being a feeling I get when I hear and play breaks. And it’s not just breaks; I love drum & bass, too! It’s that raw and dirty funk of the relationship between kicks, snares, cymbals, and other percussion instruments that moves me. Plus, I really love watching people dancing to breaks; they just get down and dirty, and you can tell they are loving it.”
Having since turned that passion into a full-on career as a producer, DJ, label head and straight-up champion of breakbeat-driven music in all its forms, Johnson steps into the ring once again with a monster nine-track EP. Discos of Tron merges elements of future funk with the classic chest-rattling bassline sound of yesteryear.
For all the old-school heads out there who haven’t tuned in to breaks since the heyday of Stanton Warriors, Krafty Kuts, Plump DJs, Deekline and the Freestylers, you’re definitely in for a treat as new-school heads like Wes Smith, discObeta, Fire-Beat and Loryn flex hard on the remix tip, offering up a glimpse at the ongoing (r)evolution of breaks as a genre and a sound. With five original tunes holding center stage on the EP, we thought it only right to check in with main man behind the EP and the label responsible for bringing us those “Funky Breaks from the Left Coast” for the past 16 years.
It’s been a busy year for you and the Barely Legal Records crew. Have you had time to reflect on how far you’ve come?
It has, and it’s been really exciting to see the label get more industry support and recognition than ever before. For example, Phil Hartnoll from Orbital has started supporting the label, which means a lot to me!
You’ve been around in the breaks scene for a while now. How have you seen the genre change/progress since it all began for you in 1999?
All genres change over time—especially with technology, but also new producers coming in and bringing fresh ears and visions. That’s actually one of the things that attracts me to electronic music in general—that it’s always changing! These days, the more popular style is “bass music,” which is funny to me because so much of the early breaks tracks were identical to what’s being made now. In the next couple of years, there will no doubt be a new style that will be popular—it’s the nature of music in general, I think.
Personally, I don’t get too wrapped up into styles. I have a very simple take on it: Is it good? Does it make people dance? If that can be answered “yes,” then I’m playing that track. That’s also how we think at our Faultline and Foundation parties (that I do with DJ 138 and Eric Riggsbee) here in the Bay Area: Does that DJ play good music? As a result, you’ll hear all kinds of styles at our parties, and none of the styles matter, so long as people are dancing to good music.
What do you have to say to those who feel like breaks and breakbeat music is “old-school” and not keeping up with the times?
Simply put, haters are gonna hate regardless of what the breakbeat community does. As the guardians of the breaks scene, we cannot be intimidated by people that talk shit about us. We all firmly love and believe in what we do, and we will continue to let our freak flags fly! Also, those people clearly don’t know their musical history and how much influence breaks actually have on other genres. Drum & bass and breaks were doing massively gnarly basslines before anybody else.
How has your production changed since you first started producing?
When I originally started noodling around, I was using MOTU’s Performer; this was strictly MIDI. At one point, I had the Access Virus, an Ensoniq EPS 16+, and few other bits. Eventually I moved to Digital Performer, but now I’m using Ableton Live. I’m using only software now, due to the fact that my studio time is during my commute hours, when I’m on the train. But one of my important advances has been working closely with my mastering guy (Don C. at Phuture Trax), who has been instrumental in helping me get a good mixdown.
With increased attention to sample sources and all the litigation and clearance issues related to that, I imagine there are unique challenges that face a breakbeat producer of today. What advice do you have for a new-school head just getting into the production side of breaks, in terms of navigating that tricky road?
There’s been a move away from old-school sampled beats for a long time now, but all the while keeping that funky, driving rhythm aimed at moving butts. You can hear it in the productions of Stanton Warriors, DJ Fixx, Wes Smith, and most producers these days. They are all pretty much staying clear of samples (although you will still hear little bits here and there slapping in).
My advice would be to try to recreate that sample yourself as much as possible. Spend the time learning your gear inside and out and how to get that “groove.” Learning how to program a good drum pattern is essential to your overall sound, and you’ll get recognized for being original.
Your latest album, The Discos of Tron, features some great tracks of yours alongside remixes from the likes of Wes Smith, discObeta, Fire-Beat and Loryn. How long did it take you to put it all together?
It took at least six months to get everything together. I had most of the tracks nearly done and then started lining up remixers. It’s funny: The track “The User” was really an afterthought track, just kind of a filler that I didn’t spend too much time on, because I wanted it to be minimal. It turned out to be one of the more popular tracks with tastemaker DJs during the promo campaign. All in all, it was a really cool experience to be able to make five tracks and then line up remixers and put the whole package together.
Have you had any surprises by some of the support you’ve received from any of the releases you’ve had this year?
I just keep pushing and doing what I believe in. It’s been a learning experience to have a steady release schedule this year. Usually the schedule is way more relaxed, but I really wanted to ramp things up and get some more exposure for the label. Getting support from DJ Icey, Rasco, the Crystal Method, Left Right, Si Begg, 2 Bad Mice, and many more has been very inspiring!
What’s next for you and the label?
There’s a full-length album from Adrenalinez called Robotic Forces due later this month, and then we’ll have another single from Adrenalinez later in the year.
What about with breaks in general—where do you see the genre going from here?
I think we’ll start to hear more and more good vocals in breaks tracks. There is deep-rooted part of the culture that uses hip-hop vocal snippets, which is cool, but I think for us to keep moving forward, we’ll have to write good lyrics and work with good vocalists. We’ll always have that big bass sound, but it will manifest itself in different ways and sounds over the years to come.
Will there be B-boys in the year 3000?
There will definitely be B-boys in the year 3000—and beyond!
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