Canadian Breaks icon Robb G has been bringing his own brand of beats to events across the continent for more than 10 years. The mastermind behind Promo Records had his last track picked up by Streetwise U.K., has a forthcoming remix on Botchit and was recently featured on BBC Radio 1.  Over the course of a few weeks Robb allowed me to pick his brain and I’m happy to finally present the results for your enjoyment. Robb has also been so kind as to record an exclusive mix just for Nubreaks containing 12 tracks in 30 minutes as well as some video footage from a recent gig in Montreal!

So Robb, was DJ’ing your first foray into music or how were you introduced to it?
 
Dancing was my first foray into music. I've been dancing for as long as I can remember and it was my love for dancing that attracted me to DJ’ing.
 
How long have you been rocking the wheels of steel?
 
I've been spinning for over a decade and before that I was making quirky mixed "pause button tapes" where I'd splice and dice anything into one long continuous mix using the pause button on my tape deck.

A lot of DJ's have cited the pause button type of mixes as being at their roots; do you still have any of those tapes?

I was helping my parents move last fall and came across a couple of them.
The one that stood out and gave me the biggest laugh is called "Full Fucken Jacket". It's a 30 minute mix of house loops, hardcore beats and hip hop bits all intertwined with samples from the hard ass drill sergeant in the movie Full Metal Jacket.
 
Do you miss those carefree days of "anything goes" as opposed to current times where mixes can often be counted on to stay on a straight and narrow path?
 
Sometimes, that's why I enjoy playing longer sets whenever possible because you have the freedom to change things up over a broader period of time. I used to get harassed by what I call the "breakbeat police" for straying from strictly breaks. Things have come full circle in the last couple years where you're more likely to hear several genres in one room over the course of the night again and many DJ's are spicing up their sets with different sounds. There are few things more boring than 8 straight hours of the exact same sub-genre of an underground music style.
 
Can you think back to a moment when it clicked for you that "this is what I want to do"?
 
 I felt a switch go off in my head the first time I landed a perfect beatmatch with two records. I had a smile from ear to ear and played those two 12's back and forth for hours on end. I had already been DJ'ing for a couple years at that point but got by with clever drops and fade outs because I was playing all genres under the sun at a local teen club. Once I learned how to really blend two tracks there was no looking back.
 
How would you describe the style you play? Funky Breaks?

 No, I wouldn't say "funky breaks" more like an "energetic blend of hard and funky breaks".  Hell, I'll even throw in a house or techno track if I like it enough. Good music is good music period.

That's a good attitude to have! Do you approach the decks differently when you're playing at your residency as opposed to an out of town gig or doing a studio mix?
 
I put tons of effort into all my gigs and approach them all as if they were out of town. I'll spend hours sorting through music and editing tracks before a show. I play with the exact same enthusiasm to an empty room as I would a rammed club because I love what I do. Anytime I'm playing an Activate show I'll try and feature something really fresh, whether it's something new of my own, some new edits and loops I worked on or some ill new track I'm really feeling. When I'm playing out of town I love to dig up older slamming records that everyone has forgotten about. When you're headlining you have more musical freedom because the audience tends to be a lot more captive. When I'm recording a studio mix it's all about programming. I'm more likely to do longer mixes than at a live show and love to show a diverse blend of old, new and rare music in a studio mix.
 
So obviously you're not a die hard turntable and vinyl DJ at this point. You feel just as comfortable with a CDJ?
 
Very much so, I learned to ride the pitch a long time ago so adjusting to the new medium wasn't too hard. On more than one occasion my CD book has come to my rescue when I've run out of things to play in my bag. Having that much music at your disposal without breaking your back lugging hundreds of 12 inches is priceless. The only frustration with CDJs is the 3 second delay for the CD to load, I'm almost always in the mix and I hate it when I miss a cue point because of the load time. I also miss the feeling of physically sorting through my records. I've gone as far as to make visual prompts for certain things in my CD book that I don't want to forget to play. My record bag is full of record sleeves cut in half with writing on them.   
 
What’s your impression of the recent technology advances and new tools that are becoming available such as Ableton Live and the newer space age CD decks? Has any of this stuff got you excited?

The flexibility of editing and looping things on the fly with CD decks can't be matched by vinyl and I love the ability of putting my personal touch on things with these new tools. What I'm not a fan of is any software that does the beatmatching for the artist. It cheapens the experience if the person on stage is relying on a computer to line up his tracks, you might as well leave the human at home and just push play on the jukebox. It's different for the guys that are using software like Ableton with their own material and incorporating effects & gear to deliver a "live show", but no DJ should be relying on a computer in front of an audience to do his mixing.
 
What is the most important lesson you've learned from DJ'ing?

Make the most of every situation presented. Not every set up will be perfect, not every night will be a jumping party, and not every crowd will want to hear all the new music you're so excited to play. I'm a firm believer that it's not what happens to you but what you make of it.
 
Do you feel like nowadays that you have to be a producer in order to be taken seriously as a DJ?
 
 Most definitely, you can only go so far playing other people's music.
 
Which do you prefer creating tracks in the studio or playing live?
 
This is hard one because there's nothing more exciting than hearing an idea come to life in the studio but I'm a sucker for the live audience reaction. I love the feeling when you've been working on a new tune and it starts coming together, you can get so engrossed in the minute details that you forget how good it sounds overall. Then you change your point of reference, take a step back and hit the space bar to realize that the tune is slamming, what a great feeling. On the other hand, to have a crowd jump and scream to one of your own tunes is as close as one can get to masturbation.

Do you ever pick up a record and know instantly that it’s going to "work" on the dance floor? What are some examples of  records that have the magic?
 
All the time. If this was a couple years ago I’d simply answer every record in my bag because I’d only buy it on wax if I could see the floor blowing up to it. Any music I owned in a different format was purely for home listening. Nowadays, I’m getting more upfront material sent digitally or on CD. Today, I’ll only buy it on vinyl if I can’t get it online so the format no longer dictates the purpose. I’m known to do a full body thrash to a bangin’ tune so anything that gives me a big smile and passes the headbang test is sure winner for the floor. 
 
Do you ever try to push a tune because you really like it even though it may not be something that’s making other peoples top 10 lists?
 
Definitely. I don't spend much time paying attention to other DJs
 top 10 lists. If I'm into it, I'll push it every set until people get to know
 it, start to expect it and love it too. If you program the "not as popular" records in the right spot during your set, you can always convince the crowd to follow. 
 
Any examples?
 
Marco Carolla "Playboy", anything by Rascal & Klone, Full Intention "La Musique", anything by Huntman. Basically all the housey & techy tracks and everything I play at the wrong speed.
 
A lot of dance music seems disposable, but there are records that become classics and stand the test of time. What are some of your favorites?
 
Donna Summer "I Feel Love", Depeche Mode 'Can't Get Enough"
Loads of 80's hip hop, Prodigy "Out Of Space". Can I admit to loving Dee-Lite?

Sure man I love them too! Especially Dewdrops in the Garden!

Rebel MC "Tribal Base", F.S.O.L "Papa New Guinea", Orbital "Halcyon", Goldie "Inner City Life"

Have any of them become staples in your sets?
 
Yes, I frequently show my love for older tracks when I play, it's amazing how many things sound slick with a break behind it.
 
Would you care to venture a guess as to why breakbeat doesn't seem to enjoy as much popularity as some other genres?
 
Having the funk of hip hop at the tempo of house should make breakbeat the most accessible of all the electronic dance forms. Lord knows that once you "learn" to dance to breaks, nothing else is near as fun to shake your rump to. Its lack in popularity might lie in the fact that the "average electronic music supporter" has been hand fed 4/4 music for 30 + years. Disco, new wave, house, techno and trance all have that same thing in common. If you've always stomped your feet to the same rhythm, it would be tough to change. It would be similar to having your teachers switch languages half way through school, you'd have to start all over.  

How long have you held your residency at Activate?

I've been playing for the Activate boys, Cyrus and Evan, for over 3 years. The first time they booked me was their 1 year anniversary and I've played for them countless times since.

How long do you think you'll continue to do it?

I'll be the first to admit that Cyrus and Evan can be assholes at times but their passion for good music and a killer party are unmatched. I hope those two buggers read this interview because I'm just messing. Over time I've become good friends with the both of them and have immense of respect for all they do. I don't see why I would stop playing for them, so as long as Activate is promoting I'll be playing their shows.
 
Who are some of the artists you've featured?

In conjunction with Activate, I’ve brought the Stanton Warriors for their first Toronto appearance in February. I've helped with the promo end of several other events this year including the Soul of Man, Drummattic Twins and Lee Coombs shows when I was a resident at Boa. Years ago I threw a party with a couple of friends and we had Icey play for us, it was so long ago he was still spelling his name "Icee" then.

Who are you bringing soon?

No big promotion plans right now because I'm fully focused on my personal development at the moment. I'm teaching myself how to play keyboard and trying to become more self-sufficient in the production department. I've just finished my next single and Paranoid Jack and I working on our follow up to "Disaster" as well as entertaining a remix offer or two.
 
What's your favorite gig you've ever done?
 
No one favorite show to date but the coastal cities always seem to be the most memorable whether it be Halifax, Brighton or anywhere in B.C. I can never answer this kind of question without mentioning how spoilt I've been in Toronto, from small intimate jams, big clubs, messy boat cruise parties to massive events with thousands upon thousands of people in  attendance, time and time again I've been reminded of why I love it here.
 
What's your dream gig?

Uhhh...this question has got me scratching my head because I've never really thought of it before. Having one dream gig means I'd have to pack it up after it was done and I can't say I want to commit to that. I will say that I do get a big smile on my face if I close my eyes and picture playing an outdoor stage on the beach at sunset with thousands of people stretching for as far as the eye can see.

Do Canadians have a hard time dancing with snow shoes on?
 
It's really only an issue at the outdoor events. Luckily all the major clubs have a designated shoe check along side the coat checks. Even at the outdoor events it's not that big of a deal, you get used to dancing with the snow shoes on after a bit of practice. The only real downer is that everyone has to dance that much further apart and having everyone so spread out sometimes takes away from the vibe.
 
Hindsight is 20/20, if you could call yourself 10 years ago what advice would you give yourself?
 
Tough, tough question, I could open up a whole can of worms with this one.
The last ten years have been a hell of a ride and I've grown immensely. I learnt more than one lesson the hard way but I'm very happy with who I am now and I don't know that I'd have this frame of reference without all those experiences. I'd probably tell myself to spend less time chasing women and more time investing in the long term relationships with those I care about instead. There's no guarantee I would've listened though.
 

Tracklisting for the exclusive Robb G Nubreaks mix

1.Audio Magnetics "Getto Blaster Deluxe" Sunkissed
2.James Brown "Clap Yo Hands" CDR
3.Robb G "12 Inch Therapy" CDR
4.Party Style "Hitting The Jack" White
5.Boogie Pimps "Somebody To Love" (Christian J mix) White
6.Mighty Dub Kats "Magic Carpet Ride" Sm:)e
7.Katcha "Touched By God" (D.Ramirez mix) Release
8.The Fog "Been A Long Time" Accapella
9.Jay Cunning & Smithmonger "Don't Stop" (Splitloop Mix) Menu
10.Atomic Hooligan "Spitball" (Paranoid Jack & Robb G mix) Botchit
11.Overground Resitance "Jag-Waa" white
12.Guy Called Gerald "Voodoo Ray" CDR