|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sydney duo Confection released their self-titled debut album on Friday November 23rd, 2007 on One Stop Funk Shop Recordings. (Marketed and promoted by Soulchoonz Records.) Released in the UK on Soulchoonz Records Label.
Despite having played only a handful of Sydney gigs Confection have already made quite a mark on the UK soul scene with their advance
12" vinyl release "Fantasisin'"/ "I Choose U"
garnering rave reviews, with solid chart action and substantial radio and
club airplay from highly respected scions of the old guard funksoul scene
like DJ's Pete Haigh and Chris Jay.
|
|
|
Confection's constituent ingredients are Josh Beagley (guitar, keyboards, production) and Juanita Tippins (vocals) from Sydney, Australia. Formed in 2006 while recording a track at One Stop Funk Shop studio, the duo then spent the next year recording the 10 tracks that fill the Confection self-titled debut album.
Confection set out to create classic funksoul anthems like those of yesteryear - old school synth and slap-bass driven groovers and slowjams, the sort of songs that sound brilliant on the radio and phat on the dancefloor, with big choruses and sinewy elastic rhythms. |
|
|
|
Josh Beagley has a wide-ranging knowledge and love of black funk and pop stemming from his long career as a performer and DJ, which certainly permeates the Confection sound. "I particularly like the records from when big funk bands
merged with synth technology, like CAMEO, Midnight Star, early Prince, SOS Band for example. Their records all had a lot of live instrumentation blending
with drum machines and synths, and it is that kind of organic-electro interaction
that really works for me."
Although Beagley played or programmed most of the music on the album, a number of friends from his other bands (Professor Groove and The Booty Affair, Fatback 4Way) were brought in to add their special groove skills. Terepai Richmond, widely regarded as Australia's best drummer (Missy Higgins, Whitlams, DIG etc) and Michael Di Francesco (Van She, Moustache) provided critical groove elements on drums and bass respectively, with Paul Gray (Wa Wa Nee) guesting on keys, Sunil de Silva contributing percussion and a number of Juanita's singing cohorts (Jade
McRae, Mahalia Barnes, Rob Edwards, Prinnie Stevens, Miss P) called on
for backing vocal duties.
The result is a debut filled with delectafunkable extended jamz, wall to wall sonic sweetfunk. Step into the candystore now.
|
|
| Interview with Josh Beagley/Confection... |
|
- Could you briefly tell us about your background? Like, when you're born?
I was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1966. My father Peter Beagley
(nee Head) was/is a musician, a piano player who played in rock bands throughout
the 70's, including a band with AC/DC's Bon Scott. We moved around a lot,
mainly between Adelaide and Sydney, with his bands. I then moved to Sydney
permanently halfway through University in the mid 80's.
- What did you grow up listening to?
like most kids I just liked 70's pop, and Beatles and Rollling Stones. My dad's major influence was Ray Charles, so there was always a lot of him playing, and hitting my teens I had an intense obsession with Aussie Rock (Cold Chisel, The Angels, INXS etc) and then UK new wave/punk - Clash, Jam, Police etc - and then at about 15 it all shifted to Black music, beginning with Motown, Sly and The Family Stone, Stevie, Michael Jackson, Sugarhill Gang, Rick James and Grandmaster Flash. Then Prince, Parliament, James Brown, Cameo and all the brilliant Minneapolis stuff. For starters.
- When did you start playing/writing? And at that time, who had been your
biggest inspiration in music?
I picked up guitar when I was about 13, after a couple of years of half-hearted piano training. I wanted to be Pete Townshend of the Who.
Then after a couple of years I discovered Nile Rodgers and the guy from Kool and The Gang and thought it was much cooler to play funk guitar.
- How do you describe the sound and style of Confection ?
I sometimes call it neo-80's sweetfunk, but really it's just the sound
of me and Juanita. It's a sound that is rooted in the grooves, melodies,
song structures and lyrical modes of 80's funk, but I like to think that
there's a certain modernity to it as well. it's really just classic dance
pop that could have been written anytime. I am particularly interested
in the conjunction of live instrumentation with classic synths and drum
machines - the "soul" of certain technologies married with the
indefinable groove and swing of real players. Sly Stone started it with
the genius of Family Affair, then Parliament ramped it up with Flashlight,
and then Prince took things to a whole new level. Confection reflects the
sounds of 80's funk mainly in the sense that dozens of great acts started
combining these elements in brilliant ways - think Midnight Star, Cameo,
SOS Band, Evelyn King etc etc - and we certainly like those types of comninations.
- Your self-titled CD album was released in 2007. Could you tell us a little
bit about the album? Like, what was the road like to get there, and how
about your impressions about it?
Well I had been in a couple of big funk-based bands in the 90's, mainly a band called Swoop that had several hits in Australia and actually had a Top 10 hit in Japan in 96. We fizzled out about 98 and then for several years I was uncertain of what direction to take as a producer and songwriter, nothing really seemed to ring my bell. Then probably mid-06 I just decided to do some tracks without any reference to modern music, and just write things that I liked, as if I was writing in 1984 and house music and remixes had never come along. I had a few ideas and called Juanita to come and sing, on the recommendation of a friend. The first track we worked on was I Choose U. I knew after about 30 seconds that hers was the perfect voice for these songs, and then fortunately it turned out that we really liked writing and recording together, and really after that all the tracks came together fairly easily.
I had a little studio in the heart of Kings Cross in Sydney and we just worked at it fairly solidly for about a year. I would usually write a rough music track and have some lyrical and melodic starting points, and then Juanita comes over and we try and flesh out the words and melodies, add harmonies etc, and if the song is half decent then we'll often get some mates in to play and sing some parts, to give the tracks some human elements. This process was done without any cares for commercial success or how the songs would be received, although I had a very strong aesthetic guideline in my head of how it should ultimately sound and I followed all these unwritten rules very strictly - eg. only using certain drum machines and synths, certain melodic and lyrical structures - and fortunately it all turned out pretty sweet.
- How has the reaction been so far?
Great so far, from the people who have heard it. Mostly people are happy that someone is doing music that reminds them of some of the classic electrofunk of yesteryear, and then slightly amazed that it's coming from Australia in 2007/8. Hopefully the songs stand up on their own merits, and make people dance and sing along, pretty simple really.
- Are there any differences between the UK / Australian market or soul
muisc devotees?
Well there is a MUCH bigger and stronger scene in the UK, and as a consequence a lot more people over there have a deeper knowledge of soul and funk. But in saying that there are certainly plenty of people in Australia that have phenomenal knowledge, great taste and enthusiasm and passion for great stuff. It's a real honour to have been so enthusiastically embraced by the UK soul scene.
- Why do you think the Confection sound could make a mark on the UK soul
scene?
The UK has always had a great affinity for soul and funk, actually all black music - blues, reggae, ska etc, and I think that they recognise their massive debt to the original raw music forms. And with such a multicultural society there are always new streams of music emerging alongside a real love of the classics. So I think they kind of get and appreciate where we're coming from, and are going to. Electrofunk was huge over there in the 80's - I remember buying every Street Sounds compilation! - and lots of people have kept the flame burning brightly, so hopefully there's a bit of fondness for our kinda sound. But I think what may be working for Confection is that we are writing songs that are strongly influenced by classic 80's funk, much in the same way that Amy Winehouse has songs that are strongly influenced by Motown. If it was just a token referencing of sounds without good songs then it would be a bit more faddish.
- What are your strong points?
If by that you mean Confection's strong points, then I think it may be that the songs come first and the groove supports the melody. And obviously Juanita's singing, which has a beautiful pure and emotive tone that doesn't rely on melismatics and other over-used tricks of the trade.
- Please tell us about any artists/writers who inspired you. What are your
top 10 favorite songs of all time?
There are so many that it's a bit crazy to pinpoint some over others. Strictly with regard to Confection, I'd probably say the main inspirations are Prince, Janet Jackson, Change, SOS Band, Evelyn "Champagne" King.
10 favourite songs that come immediately to mind are:
"If I Was Your Girlfriend"/Prince
"Family Affair"/Sly and The Family Stone
"The Truth"/Grandmaster Melle Mel and The Furious Five
"Funny How Time Flies When You're Having Fun"/Janet Jackson
"No-One's Gonna Love You"/SOS Band
"When Doves Cry"/Prince
"Same Song"/Digital Underground
"It Doesn't Really Matter"/Zapp
"Your Personal Touch"/Evelyn "Champagne" King
"Forget Me Nots"/Patrice Rushen
- How did you get interested in 80's dance scene/funk bands, SOS Band and Midnight Star for example ?
There was only one record store in Adelaide that sold imported 12"s, so I'd just hang out there with my best mate listening to whatever came in. We bought "Tell Me If You Still Care" and played it until it the grooves were smooth. Then "Just Be Good To Me" and the whole "On The Rise" album blew our minds. That started a love of Jam and Lewis productions. Probably Madonna's first album had an equally big impact, and Prince's "Controversy" was on massive home rotation as well. The Street Sounds Compilations in the 80's were brilliant, introducing me to heaps of acts I otherwise wouldn't have known about.
- What really drives you or motivates you to continue to play music?
It's just what I do, I don't really think about it. It's an overriding instinct really.
- What is music for you?
An ongoing obsession to find, and possibly create, those transcendent moments that totally rock your world.
- Would you like to say something to your fans?
Eat more vegetables.
|
|
|
|
|
| Discography |
|
| Confection - S/T (AU-CD,One Stop Funk Shop 1SFS-002, 2007) |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
I Choose U |
|
2 |
|
Put Me On Your Playlist |
|
3 |
|
Flirt |
|
4 |
|
Fantasisin' |
|
5 |
|
I've Gotta Thing (4U) |
|
6 |
|
Diamonds |
|
7 |
|
Lovers Or Best Friends |
|
8 |
|
Feel It Comin' |
|
9 |
|
You Got The Love |
|
10 |
|
Stuck |
Exec. Producers:Nigel Tucker and Josh Beagley for One Stop Funk Shop |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Contact to:
|
|
|
|
|
