TODDLA T (aka Tom Bell) came out to Cervantes on tour late last week to support his new album Watch Me Dance, which came out a little more than a week ago on Ninja Tune, the same label who brought us Kid Koala. I was able to interview him about his music and the crowds he likes to play for, and he seems to have quite a lot of interesting things to say.
1. Examiner.com: What was your first experience with electronic music? What was it about it that made you want to play and make it?
TODDLA T: Well, you could call hip-hop electronic music as a lot of it is made on machines such as MPCs, which are digital, but as far as traditional 'electronic' music with synths and things was probably around the house. My dad used to listen to Kraftwerk, Human League, etc. But hip-hop was my first love of music and from there it spanned to things like dancehall, house, garage, etc., which to me all still are classed as electronic music, and you make what your influenced by, right?
2. Do you prefer US or UK crowds?
They’re so different, even though we share love for the same music. The forms that they are presented in are very different. For example, dubstep in the U.K. is very sub-based, dub-influenced, where in the U.S.A. it’s like rock music for example, and that goes for a lot of things, so the vibe in the club is different, not better or worse just different.
3. Do you ever get stage fright before a gig?
Of course. It’s so random though. Sometimes I’ll be playing in front of 10,000 people and be blazey about it and sometimes I’ll be o
n the way to a small gig and I feel sick and vice versa. I think a lot of the time it’s subconscious, but it happens often.
4. What is your favorite production program?
Logic! That’s my cousin.
TODDLA T has a lot of remixers who have helped him out with his career and all of them are huge names such as Skream, Ms Dynamite, Ross Orton, Wayne Marshall, Donaeo, Roisin Murphy and Shola Ama. He also did a documentary side project named “Always Moving” with Rollo Jackson. He has a regular dj slot on BBC’s Radio 1 if you are jonesing for more from this man!
Below are some links to check out more TODDLA T tracks, music videos, and his websites and tweets:
Videos:
“Watch Me Dance” ft Roots Manuva
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rw9yeS6nqA&feature=fvsr
“Take It Back”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unpcCIisLQ8&feature=fvsr
And follow Toddla T at:
www.toddlat.com
www.facebook.com/toddlat
www.twitter.com/toddlat
www.ninjatune.net/us
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