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Nicky Roland Dives Deep Into Producing “FunkBox” — Interview

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Nicky Roland Interview

Nicky Roland keeps exploring multiple genres and expanding his music into new sonic territories. This time his single provides a much-needed dose of funky goodness to lift your mood. Read the interview and get more details here!

1 — First of all, what made your produce “FunkBox”?

I had an old Hip-Hop track called “Rock The FunkBox” (don’t quote me on the name though, I can’t find it anywhere) stuck in my head for weeks. The “FunkBox” was one of the earliest drum machines/synths and was heavily used in Funk and Disco. I’ve always laughed at the double-entendres of its name, so I thought I’d play on that in this track.

2 — Where did you take the inspiration from?

As mentioned above the name “FunkBox” has made me giggle since I first heard it, and I thought to myself…What would a “FunkBox” be to the king of musical double-entendres, Bootsy Collins? I was also heavily influenced by Duran Duran bassist John Taylor and Midnight Star’s Freakazoid.

3 — How long did it take you to complete this new release?

I recorded the song on two afternoons. Once I landed on the bassline, the rest fell into place super quickly.

4 — Do you prefer to work in the studio at night or during the day?

I tend to stick to daytime hours. I used to pull three-to-four-day sessions, but you get diminishing returns – when the vocals start to sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher, you know you’ve gone too far… 😂

I find that my hearing and productivity are best in the afternoon, so I tend to focus on production around that time.

5 —Did you think of putting another title to this song?

No, not for this one, its genesis was squarely planted in its namesake.

Nicky Roland
6 — Am I the only one loving those vocoders? What plugins did you use to get that effect?

I’m glad you like the old-school robot sounds! I love old Electro, Funk, and Hip-Hop; some of my favorite tunes from the early to mid-80s used a lot robot style vocals, which always added a fun twist for me. I used the native vocoder in Reason Studio with an accordion sound in Thor for the robot effect. Sounds crazy, but that’s what gave me the most authentic 80s sound. The Bootsy style vocals just have a slight formant filter to help my accent sound more American.

7 — Why do you think people should listen to “FunkBox”?

“FunkBox” harkens back to a more playful era where songs didn’t take themselves too seriously… the goal was just to have some fun. That’s what I’m trying to do here. Anyone that likes classic House/P-Funk/Disco-Funk should get a kick out of this.

8 — Were there any particular challenges during the production process?

Not really, other than trying to sound like Bootsy Collins. I think I got fairly close for a white boy from England. 😁

9 —Are you always open to collaborations with other artists? If so, what are your requirements?

I’m always open to collaboration and there are really only two stipulations…First and foremost, I have to be a fan of their work, and secondly, perhaps more importantly… is be professional. Communication, mutual respect, and honesty are imperative. If you can’t be professional, I ain’t got time for ya.

10 — Any news you can share on upcoming projects?

DJ International Records (the original House music label out of Chicago) is working with a new distributor and is aiming to publish a three (vinyl) disc collector’s edition of The Jackmaster 7. I have a remix of “I Lose Myself” lined up (the original was the second biggest track on The Jackmaster 7, beaten only by Loleatta Holloway) and I’m working on a remix of my last track “Feel It” with Sinclair and Rocky Jones that will also be released on DJ International.

I’ve also got an old-school, early 90s French style Hip-Hop track (lots of classical music influences) about climate change that I’ve been sitting on for several years, that I’ll release in fall, a Juan Atkins/Model 500 style Detroit Techno tune waiting in the wings, and a Synthwave/80s Electro-Pop song heavily inspired by Goodbye Horses by Q Lazzarus (the song playing while Jame Gumb does his willy tuck dance in Silence of the Lambs) that I’ll release around Halloween. Sadly she (Q) passed away recently, so this track will be dedicated to the memory of this underground hero of 80s music.


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By Erick Ycaza

Hi, my name is Erick Ycaza. I have a BA in Advertising & Graphic Design. This blog is to provide you with daily music news and share my personal style. Surprisingly, I have been blogging and writing about music since 2007.