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 Already regarded as the leader in the digital downloads business, we catch up with Ricky Simmonds to find out more about the site and about his productions too, like Chakra, Space Brothers etc.
i:Vibes: Audiojelly is one of several sites popping up offering legal mp3 downloads for a small price, What do you think distinguishes yours from the others?
A: To begin with, I would hope that the design and user friendly nature of the site sets audiojelly apart from other sites, but i think the fact that it is run by artists from dance music gives us a special connection with the people now using digital download sites.
i:Vibes: In the past a lot of well known artists have been vocally against mp3 distribution, how are they receiving sites like Audiojelly?
A: I can honestly say that over the last few months, we have had only a positive response from everybody we have been in touch with. One guy emailed us to say, he loved the site, but he simply could not get involved yet as he was still flying the flag for vinyl. We totally respect his position, but the reality is, if you want to get your music out there to a lot of people, there is no longer a healthy enough retail climate in dance music to rely on physical sales. We believe the majority of artists are now fully embracing the digital era.
i:Vibes: The site seems to be very well thought out and is known to have taken a very long time to complete. What aspects were the hardest to do ?
A: The hardest aspects would probably seem easy to some people, but we deliberated for long periods over the minor details, which seem small and trivial – but are in fact crucial to Audiojelly’s success. Should we have a particular graphic slightly smaller? Are we able to listen to clips whilst browsing the site without interruption? Just a couple of examples of hundreds of decisions we have made whilst building the site, but each issue had a great deal of thought put into it, and from the feedback we have had so far, it seems we have made a lot of the right choices.
i:Vibes: As we know, Audiojelly is also a label as well as a downloading service. The first release is the remixes of the classic – Lustral – Everytime. How hard is it as producers to choose suitable remixers for a classic ?
A: It’s never easy when you have had a song that has been received so well, and mixed by some of the most legendary dance music artists of all time – Timo Maas, Nalin & Kane, A Man Called Adam, Way out West – a stunning line up of remixers without any doubt. Two of the most Talented new producers at the moment are Andi Durrant & Nick Riley. We were certain that they could do a fantastic job of remixing Everytime, and we hoped they would be up for doing it. They were up for doing a mix, and the result is brilliant.
i:Vibes: How easy is it to sell this kind of service to labels, or do you have a lot coming to you interested?
A: A few months ago, before we had begun beta testing, there was still a lot of uncertainty about digital downloads, so even though the labels we were talking to trusted us to provide a great service, there was still a reluctance to get completely involved in the distribution of mp3’s across the world. As soon as we started beta testing, a lot of labels heard about us and contacted us to get involved. When we launched the site officially, within the first week of being online, over fifty labels called us asking to team up with us. Some labels have even chosen to make their catalogues exclusively available through Audiojelly, which is very flattering and a great compliment to everyone on the Audiojelly team who have worked tirelessly to create an outstanding download store.
i:Vibes: With a focus on sorting out the Audiojelly concept, has it affected your productions at all, either through leaving a lot less time, or maybe less will to produce?
A: The will has not changed at all, but you are spot on about the toll it has taken on our time. We had no idea about the mammoth workload that would go into creating and running Audiojelly, but we all absolutely love it. The downside has been that is has left us a lot less time to make music whilst building the foundations of this new venture – but we are all slowly getting back into the studio and getting back to the other ‘day job!’.
i:Vibes: A lot of people agree on the pricing structures, especially as it works out virtually the cost of an old style cd single, Is this what you based them on?
A: That was in our thinking as well as the initial sites like i-tunes creating a pricing structure of 99 cents. For digital downloads to be accepted on a mass scale, we saw the positive response of this, and we were guided by what the consumer seemed happy with. In any currency, one unit seems to be fair for everyone – whether it’s one pound, one dollar, one euro, etc. To go above that kind of price for a single track, would seem unfair to dance music fans, and although as a business, we have to make the economics work for the labels, the artists and the songwriters – the Audiojelly philosophy is that the best deal has got to be for the consumer. We will always put the interests of the music buyers first.
i:Vibes: Offering many exclusives is very tempting for customers, but could you give us an insight into what we might expect in the coming months of this kind?
A: Aside from the Audiojelly.com store, we have our own in-house digital label, which has an exceptional roster of talent. About 90% of the music on our own label is globally exclusive, and within the next couple of weeks we will be announcing a couple of very special exclusives that dance music fans across the world will be very excited about. Audiojelly will now always feature world and digital exclusives on a weekly basis.
i:Vibes: Following on from the previous question, will there ever be instances where you offer downloads of tracks that are unsigned, but the producers of such tracks request it for you to add them?
A: Absolutely. We have a section on the site specifically for new artists where they can submit their tracks by uploading them directly to the site. If we like them, they could be signed to audiojelly and up on the site within days of us receiving them.
i:Vibes: Moving back into the producing category, you are widely regarded of being some of the best vocal music writers, with the projects like for example Chakra. How do you go about making a track that fits the vocals so well, do you write the music for them, or just add them over the tune like a lot of people seem to.
A: Trade secret. Not allowed to give it away. To be honest with you, we put together the music, and then write lyrics and melodies over the top it. It really is as simple as that. That does not mean it is easy or mechanical in any way. It always comes from the heart, and I think that is the key to it. Most writers and producers of a good standard can put together a vocal dance track, but if it is not written from the heart, it has no emotional resonance. On a personal note, I always try to write lyrics that mean something, and will never just add lines to make a rhyme work or fit a vibe for the sake of it.
i:Vibes: Having produced many styles and seen the rise, and in some cases alleged falls in popularity of some of them, for example trance which is getting a lot of negative comments from some ‘music fans’, how do you personally interpret this?
A: I think the issue of popularity regarding any genre is nonsense. It all boils down to the amount of music being recorded, released and distributed. If you take trance as an example, there has been negative coverage for the simple reason that a lot of trance music is awful. Unfortunately, the quality trance music that is thriving, can get lumped in with the weak stuff, and therefore be dismissed as unpopular tracks in an unpopular genre. In every area of dance music, there are brilliant artists and substandard artists. The important thing that people seem to forget, is that dance music fans have good ears and are not swayed or heavily influenced by lazy journalism.
i:Vibes: With all your years experience in the business, do you have maybe a top 5 of tunes that you see as being integral to the success of the scene?
A: Tough question! Here are the five tracks picked between ourselves as definitive pieces of music that have had an enormous impact
Energy 52 – Café Del Mar
Kraftwerk – Tour De France
Steve “Silk” Hurley – Jack your body
The whole streetssounds electro catalogue
Union Jack – Two full moons and a trout
i:Vibes: Would you like to say anything else regarding future releases on the Audiojelly label, maybe whet our appetites?
A: Look out for new releases from Andrea Britton, Six Thirty (Ian Betts), Altitude, Praha, Aurora, Quadraphonic, a global exclusive of the new Lost Witness single – and many more!
I would like to take this chance to wish Ricky & Co great luck with the site, and being able to finally bring mp3s to people in a way that suits both producer & consumer, and wish them all the best for the future. Thanks for the interview :)
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