Chase & Status interview

Saul Milton one half of Chase & Status spoke to eFestivals about this summer's festival appearances. The live band will be appearing at The Great Escape, Rock Ness, Glastonbury Festival, Wakestock, Wireless, Oxegen, NASS, GuilFes, Lovebox Weekender, The Secret Garden Party, Milton Keynes Bowl with The Prodigy, Global Gathering, Underage Festival, Relentless Boardmasters, V Festival, Jersey Live, and Bestival.

Chase & Status are just doing rehearsals with their live band when eFestivals got the chance to talk to Saul Milton aka Chase.

Where does the name come from?
When we were young we used to do graffiti, and I used to write Chase and Will used to write Status.

How did you both get into drum 'n' bass?
We got into the scene early in about 1994, with old mix tapes, Will had an old Grooverider tape, and I had some old rave cassettes, and we were just hearing the noise around London really. We swapped from dance rave when we were very young and Shy FX original after the whole jungle period of that time was something very exciting, and it really captured us.

You've got loads of festival appearances lined up for this summer, what do you like best about festivals?
The good thing about playing a festival is that it's a great vibe in the summertime, in the outside, plus we get to perform with a live band, and it's different. Festivals are fantastic, and just have a magical vibe.

Which festival are you most looking forward to this year?
That's hard to say really. I don't know if I can single any one out. We're excited about Glastonbury, excited about Lovebox, and all of them. At the minute there's so many fantastic things ahead of us, that I can't really choose.

Do you change anything in your set from gigging to appearing at festivals?
Festivals are a different thing for us. We're constant giggers but when we're on the road we DJ every week, and when we do the festivals, from now on, it's with a live band. We can't really go out with a band every week and play in clubs, but we can do that Djing, so it's a different dynamic. They're both fantastic things to be able to do for a living.

What's been your most memorable live appearance?
Playing our second ever live appearance at the Royal Albert Hall has to be a real monumental moment for us. My Grandpa came down, he's 89 years old, and so did my Grandmother, it was a really nice moment. Reading Festival last year playing a DJ Set was one of the best sets I've ever had in my life, it was out of this world.

Who is the DJ you have been most hyped to share a line-up with?
When we we were younger it was our dream to be on Ram Records as Andy C was our hero, even just to know him... and when the day came when he called us up and asked us to sign to the label and we became good friends and DJed with him on many nights. That was a great time, a great moment, he was always a DJ Hero for us and it was great to be affiliated.

You've done a lot of festivals around the world, where have you had the best experiences playing?
Funnily enough the best festival I've done anywhere else has been the Electric Daisy Carnival in Los Angeles, and this was on my birthday, three or four years ago now. There were thousand and thousands of people going absolutely mental with us. A great vibe, a whole heap of great DJs, and that was the one.

When you go on the road touring, what essential item comes with you?
Tracksuit trousers, slippers, and I like to smoke, so smoke on tour, and the most important thing, as it is every day is the iphone. I watch television on there, I watch films, listen to music. And, also obviously our laptops to make music on the road. They're the two things I can't live without iphone and laptop.

Talking of making music on the road, what was that last thing you recorded?
Oh, we've recorded three things this week, and they're all different. One is a grimey fused rock dub-step influenced track. Another one is a hardcore-esque kind of beautiful vocal kind of moment. And the last one is a quite off key bongo driven drum and bass track. So there's all flavours.

So, what was the last tune you bought?
That last thing I bought? That'll be on my phone, which is where I buy all my music. I just bought a whole load of Mod stuff from the sixties. As well as Plan B's new album 'The Defamation Of Strickland Banks'. Plan B is a friend of mine and his new album is fantastic.

What was the first band you ever went to see?
Funnily enough Michael Jackson, when I was very, very young. I didn't know what was going on. We went next door to see the Disney 'World Of Ice', and we managed to sneak into the Michael Jackson tour at Wembley, and that was the first thing I think. Then I saw Michael Jackson again, I saw Vanilla Ice, I shouldn't really say that, and one of the first incredible moments where I went "Wow!" was when I went to a Prince concert for my 12th birthday.

What advice would you give to someone going to a festival for the first time?
Take extra provisions, don't bring your best clothes, don't bring your best white trainers, which I've done before. Get your Wellington boots out, get your tent sorted out, get a nice warm sleeping bag, and lots and lots of food and water. Because, in the middle of the night when you've had a bit too much to drink and you can't really stumble around trying to find some more water, it's always good to have lots about.

Thanks I hope you have a cool summer.
Thank you very much.

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