Interview: Five Minutes with the Detroit Grand Pubahs
Detroit Grand Pubahs (Paris The Black Fu and The Mysterious Mr O) have released the remastered version of their “Thanks For Coming” EP.
This special 2020 remastered version includes the original track, as well as remixes from stalwarts The Advent and Steve Bug which were featured on the original 2008 release.
New to the tracklist is a remix from Techmarine Bottom Feeders who recently released their debut album on EPMmusic.
The release represents the restart of their Engineroom imprint, with plans for a series of reissues and reimaginings to follow in the near future.
We shared some questions with the Pubahs to get to know more about them, the release and their plans for the future.
What were some of your earliest entries into music appreciation? And music production?
Paris The Black FU: I can remember really getting into the O’Jay’s, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Aretha Franklin, and I loved Stevie Wonder as a child. But as I grew older Parliament, Funkadelic, Prince, Rick James and The GAP Band had my attention to the full. My first attempt at music production was a track called ‘The Black and The Green’, then from there I did a track called ‘Stalking You’, which was released on Throw.
Mr. O: My earliest memories with music appreciation would be Hip Hop, loved the music and the culture. Mid ‘80s, Sugerhill Gang, Doug E Fresh, Melle Mel, Afrika Bambatta, Arthur Baker, but also music like Dead or Alive, The Human League, Chaka Khan, B-52s. My first venture into production was with a friend in East London called Baz Langley. It was a track we worked on together called ‘Stomboli’ https://www.discogs.com/Gigglatron-First-Strike/release/374304
(which I later reworked and released as Mr O on DJ 3000’s label, Motech). He later helped me learn about equipment and a couple of years later I started a label, Urban Substance Records with Jason Denham from JDP events (Dublin) and released the first EP “Electronic Sockets Pt 1 & 2”, sharing the EP with Claude Young on the flipside.
Tell us a bit about how Engineroom was conceived.
Paris The Black FU: Well, Mr. O and I were talking about releasing our own music, again, and had decided to start our own label. I’ll let O tell you the origin of the name as it does have some significance.
Mr. O: Engineroom is named after a close friend who passed away too soon in 2010, we also named a track to launch the label with the same name.
Is the “restart” of the label set to define the direction of Detroit Grand PuBahs going forward? If so, how?
Paris The Black FU: Absolutely! For me personally, I took a break from everything as I lost the motivation and desire to go any further as I knew I lacked the knowledge and fundamental ability to create what I wanted to create, I felt I was just spinning my wheels and decided to get to know what I was involved with. The restart of the label will show some growth and maturity, a fresh sound and growth.
How did you go about identifying the remix artists for ‘Thanks For Coming?’
Paris The Black FU: I’ve been a HUGE fan of The Advent for decades, so for me, that was a no brainer. The Steve Bug remix was a result of DGP being on the Pokerflat label and he’s a really nice guy. The Techmarine Bottom Feeders remix was a result of Luxus Varta and I collaborating with some free time.
Walk us through a typical day in the studio.
Paris The Black FU: A typical day in the studio isn’t about making a track in the beginning. It usually starts of with me experimenting and taking the time to try to create a sound, or learn more about a plugin, nothing in particular. If something motivates me to continue then I keep with it, if not, I quit it. I don’t try to make something just for the sake of making something anymore.
Mr. O: For me it takes me a while to switch my head from work at EPM to getting into a creative place, so usually I might start off with watching a tutorial on a plug-in or piece of gear, play some music from others that I like, to get me in the mood. Then I’ll probably start trying some ideas out; practice some ideas that I may have learnt from a tutorial that may lead to something I like and want to work more on.
And how would an ideal day play out?
Paris The Black FU: Good beats and good eats! After some time in the studio and with my son, I usually spend time with my wife watching Sanford and Son, playing Scrabble or watching a movie, with beer and chocolate… not at the same time!
Mr. O: A productive studio day, a good dinner, beers and laughs with friends.
Anything in particular that you’re looking forward to when you can finally get back on the road and do shows again?
Paris The Black FU: Nope. I don’t plan on doing any shows. All I want to do is make music and spend time with my family.
What can we expect from DGP in the near future?
Paris The Black FU: A well thought out album and some banging EPs on EngineRoom.
Any closing words?
Paris The Black FU: I’m looking forward to putting more music out. I don’t have or feel any pressure to do it or care about what people may say about it, which is liberating and stress free. I do hope that when it does come out, however, that people who know the PuBahs will hear the difference in production and content, and maturity and growth.
Mr. O: Enjoy music, and support your scene.
Follow Detroit Grand Pubahs
SoundCloud | Facebook | Spotify | Bandcamp
Follow Steve Bug
SoundCloud | Facebook | Spotify | Bandcamp
Follow Engineroom
By Alaric Hobbs
