10 QUESTIONS FOR 10 RAPID
DOMINIC FRASER ROWAN-GENTRY TELLS US THE STORY OF HOW HE’S BECOMING
LONDON’S GREATEST NEW DANCEFLOOR DESTROYER
Hey you, what’s that sound? Yet more electro going down? Oh yes – but this
is something rather more potent. For the ostentatiously named but immensely
modest 27 year-old Dominic Fraser Rowan-Gentry is currently deftly twiddling
knobs to create music that blends the precision of German techno tearaways,
the flair of French disco heroes, and the ballsiness of our own unshaven,
red-eyed London warehouse party pioneers.
If you’re familiar with cocking an ear in a dirty car park rave to the
likes of Vitalic, Simian Mobile Disco, Auotkratz or DFA 1979, then 10
Rapid’s party starting will appeal to you too. Named for Mogwai’s landmark
1997 CD and formerly a drummer in guitar bands, Dominic has grown old
disgracefully and now brings a world of indie influences to his thoughtful
but accessible electronic oeuvre.
But enough of this introduction, let’s let Dominic do some talking:
1) What is the music that influenced you Dom?
When I lived in Sheffield I literally went to Urban Gorilla every week, it
was their I saw James Lavelle, Evil Nine, Tom Middleton, people like that
who didn’t seem to give a fuck about genres they just played what they
liked. This was whenIi started producing and was massively into the rocky
sound so i was inspired to make the kind of thing Adam Freeland was doing, I
used to send demo’s to Alex Metric, who would pass them on to Freeland. One
of my favourite bands is Mogwai, you cant make a direct link from my music
and theirs but they are a massive inspiration. Nowadays I don’t try to sound
like anyone, I just write whatever I would want to hear on the dancefloor.*
2) Describe your sound to a complete 10 Rapid newcomer in five words
S*ound Of A Minor Riot*
3) What do you want to achieve with 10 Rapid?
I would really love to make a massive trance record; you know the ones with
the same 3 chords in them. I could get to number 2 and hopefully get in a
celebrity gossip magazine or maybe on Big Brother – but just an internet
version, not on the actual TV. That’s too ambitious! *
4) Any thoughts about the way the music industry is going now, and where you
fit into the changes?
I think you could talk this topic to death, no one really knows what the
f**k is going on, some big labels are scared by this, some musicians are
excited. Daft Punk are doing the soundtrack for Tron 2 – what else is there?
5) Is touring and DJing live important to you?
Extremely important, it’s where you get to see if locking yourself in a
dark room for weeks was a good idea or not – luckily most of the time it’s
worth it. Getting to see people go nuts to something you have created is an
incredible feeling.
6) Who would you like to support?
Vitalic, Daft Punk,The Bays, Foals, Tom Vek, The Kills.
7) Are you guys into that Kitsune scene? Do you mind if we call you electro
or will you want to fight us?
I like a lot of records on Kitsune, and their early compilations helped
me to discover new artists, so yes. Electro is a very broad term, my music
is currently reviewed and categorized under ‘warehouse’, ‘indie dance’, ‘nu
disco’, and ‘electro house’, but electro will do. I’m definitely up for
fighting you; I’m extremely good at Mongolian wrestling.
8) Dominic – weirdest thing that’s ever happened to you please?
Okay, I had been camping in a national park in Mongolia and hadn’t seen
a soul for a week, when I returned to the capital (Ulan Batur) there was a
riot going on, I ended up surrounded by cars on their roofs on fire in front
of the government building (which was burning down and being looted). It was
total mayhem – it was in the next few days that I started writing Minor Riot
9) What’s your musical heritage?
When I was 15 I was drumming in bands and did evening sessions for Steve
Lamacq and John Peel. Steve Lamacq had to apologize to me for saying on the
radio that it sounded like I drummed using biro’s. I took offence but he
reassured me that it was a compliment and gave me a Silk Cut to make it up
to me – which is terrible as I was under-age.*
10) Anything else?
I have a PHD in rock n roll which makes me the rock n roll doctor. Oh and I did too much Yabba in Laos. Haven’t we all?
Practicals
10 Rapid’s* latest single was “It’s not Right” (Exceptional Records),
featuring a Streetlife DJ’s remix, is due out in March, followed by more
singles, an E.P, and an album later this year.
*ENDS*
Interview: Chris Beanland
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