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Above & Beyond reveal their secrets
Reported by Agnes Klos
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Submitted 06-12-10 21:00
Above and Beyond are more than just a trance music collective formed by the trio of Jonathan Grant, Tony McGuinness and Paavo Siljamäki. They are one of the most forward-thinking and most respected production outfits in the electronic music world, responsible for the genre-defining trance album of recent years - Tri-State. Apart from producing, writing, remixing and running their own music label, Anjunabeats, which releases trance and progressive music, they are also known as globetrotting superstar DJs, selling out shows across the four corners of the planet.
Redefining all that is great about dance music has become Above and Beyond’s mission. With their Trance Around The World show which is aired on over 120 FM, Internet and Satellite radio stations across the globe and reaches 20 million listeners every week, they seem to achieve their goal. In recent years, they have played to over 1 million people on Barra Beach in Rio Di Janiero and even been chosen to soundtrack the prestigious launch of Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo. The best reflection of Above and Beyond’s global reach is in their consistent charting in the DJ Mag Top 100 DJs Poll, with this year placing the group at no.5.
For their final date in the capital for 2010, Tony, Jono and Paavo took centre-stage at the world-famous 02 Academy on Saturday 30th October – their biggest solo UK show to date. Agnes Klos had a chance to talk to Paavo before their next performance at The Warehouse Project 2010 in Manchester on Boxing Day 2010 and find out who really hides behind the name Above and Beyond.
Hi Paavo, thank you for finding time to answer some questions for HarderFaster readers. For a start, can you tell us how you guys met and how your amazing journey as Above & Beyond started?
Me and Jono met after a 'large' night at the university bar in the University of Westminster where we both studied. We met Tony through his brother Liam who was using a Yamaha sampler Jono had designed sounds for. We soon ofter found ourselves putting the finishing touches to our first ever Above & Beyond remix for Chakra "Home" that went straight to No1 on the UK Club Charts.
Describe your first contact with music and most importantly the first moment you fell in love with trance.
My mother always loved singing to me and although I can't really remember, I'm pretty certain that's how my love for music began as a toddler.
I moved to Helsinki to go to high school when I was 15 and sneaked into a club with a friend from school. Neither of us have looked back and are still as much in love with electronic dance music as ever.
Why did you choose the name Above & Beyond? Is there any philosophy behind it?
We were working on the Chakra "Home" remix in Jono's student flat, where the studio was at the time, and were looking for ideas for a name. Jono had googled (ok it was Altavista back then) his own name and found an utterly cheesy web page of an american motivational speaker whose slogan was "Above & Beyond". Tony spotted it, and Above & Beyond was born.
In the spring 2000 you set up the Anjunabeats label with the release of the “Anjunabeats Volume 1”. The song quickly gained support from Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold and Paul van Dyk. What are the main trials and tribulations of starting your own label?
The world is a different place 10 years on, but for us releasing our own music ourselves and starting a label seemed like the obvious step - both me and Jono were studying music business at University and I had had some experience running a UK Garage label with my friend Brasstooth. Starting everything very much from scratch obviously took a long time and gave our careers perhaps a slower start than if we would have been signed to a a big existing label but it has meant that we've always had total creative control on what we release and when.
You started out as producers and then moved on to DJing, was the shift hard or simply a natural progression? How did it happen?
We were so focused on making music that we weren't actively seeking a DJ career. Things changed though, after we'd just remixed the japanese pop star Ayumi Hamasaki we got a call from her record label "We're organising an event for 8000 people in Tokyo and we'd like you to play with Ferry Corsten and DJ Tiesto - we'll fly you over and really look after you. Would you like to come?" .... (needless to say we had a fantastic time)
Who did you take inspiration and influence from when you started out, were you from musical families and who inspires you today?
I personally was really impressed and influenced by the music from people like the Pet Shop Boys, Jan Hammer, Vangelis, Jean Michael Jarre, as well as lots of classical music I was hearing growing up. Everyone in my family plays an instrument and my father's always been singing in choirs, so yep, I'm from a musical family. These days I find myself being most inspired by film scores from guys like Thomas Newmann, Hans Zimmer, John Debney etc.
You are also known under different disguises, such as Tranquility Base, OceanLab, Dirt Devils and Rollerball. What is the thinking behind these alter egos?
OceanLab's us with Justine Suissa, Tranquility Base is our now retired pseudonym for clubby instrumental tracks we now do under our own name. Dirt Devils was our alias for the more hard house flavored stuff years ago, and most of our other aliases were for the purposes of signing different tracks to different labels a long time ago.
In your opinion what distinguishes your style from any other trance producer out there and how do you keep that distinction?
Well I suppose we've always had a very song-writing centric take on dance music: we tend to really think of the song first, the production second. Probably being a group also means each song has input from several different angles.
Every DJ/producer/band has a defining moment of their career. So far, what has been yours and why?
Probably it was the day Madonna sent us flowers to thank for the remix she and Guy Richie had fallen in love with and used in her video instead of her original mix. Nothing was quite the same after it was released.
Your last interview for HF was with Ehren Stowers over six years ago, which events have been embedded in your memory over that period of time? How have Above & Beyond grown during six years and what achievements are you the most proud of?
Well there are a lot, we have had almost 200 releases on Anjunabeats and 100 on sister label Anjunadeep, the label is ten years this year in fact with a commemorative album to celebrate coming early January 2011. Playing to one million people in Brazil for NYE, and Trance Around The World has grown into an influential, worldwide radio show with 237 fm frequencies airing the show weekly and over 30 million listeners, actually we are celebrating the 350th show at a sold-out event at LA's Palladium on Dec 10th. The show sold out in less than 24 hours which is remarkable.
You’ve toured the world over, which country has made the biggest impression on you and do you have a favourite venue you love to go back to?
Probably the biggest impression feels to be from the country that we've toured more than anywhere else: USA. Playing parties in small towns on Mondays and Tuesdays that feel like Saturday nights is something you just have to experience. Venue-wise it's really hard to choose - there are so many fantastic venues, but after our (amazing) recent party at the Brixton Academy in London it's now my favourite venue for its history and the fact that it's open for all kinds of music.
I have a bit of a personal confession to make. After breaking up with my boyfriend of four years, I could not find any real comfort in music until I hear the track of Above & Beyond pres. OceanLab "On A Good Day". Its powerful vocal and the words speak directly to my heart. Could you tell us the story behind that track and how it came into life?
The song started as we were messing around with some piano chords with Justine Suissa. We were hoping to make a track with real sing-along potential, almost something Robbie Williams might have released years ago but in a dance form. The lyrics were mainly thanks to Justine's ability to write in a way that's so universally understandable.
Can you give us a bit of an sight into your productions, studio set-up, favourite bit of kit and your style of working – do you pull all nighters or produce in a more organised and regimented fashion?
We've got two studios in London, filled with all sorts of toys from guitars to analogue synths to our beloved MacBook pros.
Especially nowadays as we tend to travel a lot and don't spend extended periods in the studio our working methods are very varied: sometimes it's almost like a 10-6 day, sometimes 6-10 but most typically some productive hours in the afternoons and early evenings.
I'm utterly impressed by today's computers and as such my favourite kit must be our Macs.
When producing music, how do the three of you work, is there a need for compromise?
We quite often have two out of three touring somewhere and one back in the studio with a recent addition to our team, a superbly talented guy called Andrew Bayer, who's looking after our studios and helping us make the most of our time in the studios.
Having three people's input into the tracks means it can be difficult at times but we all believe that when there's something we're all happy and excited about, we're onto a winner.
What do you listen to at home?
Mainly to the sound of my two children and wife, whatever they're currently most into and sometimes whatever happens to come up randomly from my iTunes.
Your last gig in London took place on 30th October at the world famous O2 Brixton Academy. I loved the idea of words on the screen talking to the audience. What did you think about the crowd, vibe and the event in general? Did it exceed your expectations and most importantly did you enjoy yourselves?
The Brixton party will go down as the most fun we've ever had behind the decks as a trio.
It felt like such a monumental step in our careers - almost like a test of a concept - and we're now starting to do more large Above & Beyond events like that - the next one at the Los Angeles Palladium in a few weeks, and more in 2011. The atmosphere was incredible, and we had to pinch ourselves at times, it felt unreal, and we can't wait to play there again.
With such an overwhelming biography, have you got any burning ambitions left to be fulfilled?
My burning ambition is to keep writing better and better music, continue improving our shows and also to find the perfect balance between family and career.
We're working on our forthcoming Above & Beyond artist album at the moment and it's set for release in early 2011, so we'll have a chance to have a go at all of the above soon 
It is a bit of an unusual question but still I am curious to know: What is your biggest addiction in life?
I suppose you could say I'm addicted to the high I get from making music. I don't know if I could remain sane if I couldn't pour some of my feelings into music, and like a true addiction, late nights unable to stop writing in the studio are harmful to my health and affect those closest to me. I'm not ready to kick the habit just yet, though...
You're playing in Manchester on Boxing Day at The Warehouse Project - what are your thoughts about your debut at this world-famous club night?
We're thrilled to be included in the Warehouse Project - its an exciting, forward thinking UK club night with a long list of luminary DJs that we're honoured to be added to.
Finally, if you were given a chance to go on air for five minutes and talk to the entire population of our Planet, what message would you send out and what tune would you choose to play?
John Lennon "Imagine" - it's all in the lyrics.
Thank you so much for your time, it was an immense pleasure talking to you and see you next at The Warehouse Project, Sunday 26th December @ Underneath Piccadilly Train Station, Store St, Manchester, M1 2GH. Click here for more information.
All photos courtesy of Amelia Troubridge and Agnes Klos. Not to be reproduced without permission.
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Other Features By Agnes Klos:
Back2Basics - 10 Years of Party Productions & Tomorrowland Stage Hosts
Atmosphere Records - The opening of IBIZA 1936
Entering the world of Waldfrieden in Germany with DJoanna
Piracy is not a crime – sail away with Feestgedruis!
Progressive flavours with DJ R'Deem ahead of Neelix party
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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You asked some really interesting questions!