Funk has been a style of music I have always loved and in recent years found myself discovering loads of incredible artists producing a
new wave of funk including boogie, electro and modern funk.
One of those incredible artists, is Brett Eclectic from Atlanta, not only for his distinctive sound, music making and mixes (
hello Systamatic) but introduction to other artists through his record label,
Sneer Records.
Brett Eclectic is a Producer, Musician, Singer, Lyricist, Selector and Funk Renegade. By
his own admission a music fiend and his label
Sneer Records is a reflection of this and his ethos, the labels motto is 'We Do What We Want'. It certainly feels and sounds like the label is doing just that, with the best possible outcome, releasing a diversity of sounds including Electro, Boogie,
Modern & Future Funk, Grind Music, Electronica, Hip Hop, Synthwave,
Ambient, Alternative R&B, Electro-Soul, Experimental &
Instrumental/Beats projects. Some artists you can find on Sneer Records are Dadpnts, Teal Child, Modern Modern, Altered Gee, Bright Boy and many more. Check out Sneer Funk which is a great inroduction to some of the artists you'll find on Sneer Records.
Atlanta is where Brett now calls home but he is originally from New Haven, Connecticut and grew up between there, Long Island, New York and Los Angeles, California, helping shape and influence his musical tastes which were an eclectic mix of artists mostly funk, hip hop, new wave, rock 'n roll, some jazz and
movie scores. Some of his earliest memories were listening to Funkadelic, The Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack, Marvin Gaye, Teddy Pendergrass, The Jacksons, Michael Jackson, Rick James, Teena Marie, The Ohio Players, Sugarhill Gang, Grandmaster Flash, Run DMC, Afrika Bambatta, Queen, Prince & The Time. It is these artists in particular that formed the foundations of his personal listening as a young kid and unfolds from here.
Bretts deep love of funk is clear through his music and label, although he got into other styles
as he got older, funk is first and foremost in his heart, Brett speaks about why hes drawn to funk,
"I'm drawn to it by being born in
an atmosphere and time where Funk was the prominent sound. The music
felt like my life. Still does. I just felt and feel it more than any
other music. There's a freedom to it that speaks to my soul, courses
through my viens and excites my heart. The groove of the one is deep,
deeper than deep as P-Funk so perfectly put it"
 |
| Brett Eclectic letting the funk flow |
Its no suprise Brett is so passionate about music as it surrounded him growing up, his dad was a funk/soul guitar player whilst his
mom sang in the church choir and members of his extended family were
musicians or DJs, which inspired him to persue doing the
same at an early age.
He was playing precussion and DJing at 9, moving onto songwriting and teaching himself to play guitar, bass and keyboards, all the while forming bands at 13.
After this, he took a break from music to focus on hip hop dancing, only to delve back into music making and production at 21. The focus turned to DJing not long after and he continued to do this professionally. It was around this time Brett got serious about producing for others leading to creating his own music, which he has been doing ever since.
His
early introduction into music has enabled Brett to master many elements of the creative process involved in music making including producing, mastering,
composing, providing vocals and recording everything.
Brett has released tracks, EP's including his recent release,
"Zone of My Own" (on which he Produced, Composed, Performed, Recorded and Mastered) plus
Funklantis and
Open EP's, mix series and collaborated with other artists. This is all alongside running his label
Sneer Records and finding artists which fit with its vibe and attitude.
"Zone of my Own", created at The Funktorium in Funklantis,
GA. Art Direction and Photography by B1 and released by
Sneer Records.
Brett kindly answered some questions as I dug a little deeper about
his creative processes, music making, collaborations and label,
Sneer Reords.
On a lot of the tracks you produce, master, compose, provide the
vocals and record everything. Is this through choice and a preferred way
of working?
Initially it was due to a lack of resources and
people to work with who could dig where I was at musically or who could
execute what I needed done, which led to it being all on me to figure out
and do. Now I dig it that way, but I'm still always open to collaborate.
You have a collaboration with Dadpnts plus others, do you enjoy collaborating?
I do and have quite a few. Along with
Dadpnts I've
also collaborated with
Zackey force Funk, Jak (80's funksta who's album
"I Go Wild" is an early inspiration),
Buddy Leezle,
Kali Boog (As Ozmozian),
Teal Child, Meko, Teddy Mike, The Broady Champs, McGutter, Buscrates (as Synthesiz), Lex Boogie, Andy of The Neon Romeoz,
Kazz,
Marq Spekt & Throwback
Zack.
Some of the joints we did are unreleased but will be released
eventually.
Collaboration between Brett Eclectic and dadpnts, a personal favourite!
How do you choose your collaborators?
It depends on the
situation, but it usually involves me hearing some music by them or them
hearing me which leads to one of us suggesting it and if its a fit, we
go with it.
Would you like to collaborate more?
I
definitely would and have some cookin' right now that I won't speak on
until they actually happen.
I can say one that definitely is happening is
an EP of cover songs from
Dadpnts and I.
Your Funklantis EP is very uplifting. Is this EP about Atlanta?
Much appreciated. Yes, it is. Driving around here in particular.
Do you have a feeling/visual in mind when making music or is it organic/free flowing?
It varies, but mostly free flowing.
Is there a time when you make more music? (when you're reflective/happier)
Those moods affect what I create, but not really when. At night is usually when I'm more open and productive.
All your EPs and tracks are aptly titled ("Back At It", "It Would Be Cool"), are they reflective of where you are at a point in time?
Thanks. Yes, usually or based on a concept I want to develop.
A lot of the music titles are about pushing through and change, Groove and Get It (Zone of My Own EP), Get Whats Urs (The Funktorium Archives), When Is it Gonna Change. Do you want your music to be a spark of inspiration to someone in this way?
I absolutely do. An inspiration for others and myself as well.
A favourite artist/producer of Brett Eclectic,
Georgia Anne Muldrow put out a request for artists to use her tracks from her
"oLIGARCHY sUCKS"
instrumental album. This track was the response, its written about some
current situations and works a treat. It is a beauty, you can read the
lyrics here.
Your recent EP, "Zone Of My Own", begins coming in and ends zoning out. What was the thought process behind this EP?
It started out as being a 2 cut single I was going to release. Once I was done with those cuts I wanted it to be more than that, so I created more music for it, to make it an EP. I clearly couldn't stop because I have
3 bonus tracks titled,
'On the Floor', 'Start it Over' and
'I Don't want this to End' which have recently been added to bandcamp and an expanded version to the project. Once I knew what I wanted to call it, the idea came to make the music that would serve as a transitition in and out of the Zone.
Bonus Cuts on 'Zone Of My Own'
You have some incredible mix series including Systamatic, Better Wild and Zone. The Systamatic series is one of my all time favourites, full to the brim with funk classics. How do you find such brilliant tracks for the mixes? Are they all from your own collection?
Way cool that you feel it that way. I'm humbled. The cuts are usually from my current collection or music I come across digging online that I end up adding to it.
When did you start your label, Sneer Records and what was the motivation?
I originally started it in 2003, but put it on the back burner for some years. I decided to give it another go in 2011 and it stuck. I started it out of frustration with being misunderstood as an artist who didn't fit the clone cookie cutter mode. I took the knowledge I aquired from years of being on the music business side of things from my various jobs in it that ranged from retail, merchandising, consulting and distribution plus my cooperate background, to use for the sake of releasing music that I wanted to and believed in, that was more about feeling than perfection. An urban label with a punk attitude.
You have a wide range of artists, how do you find them and know they are right for the label?
I find most of them on the internet. I can tell they're right for the label based off of how I dig their music and overall vibe.
Some of the artists on the label are actually me under an alias too, as an outlet for some of the other styles of music I create which may not fall under what I want to release as Brett Eclectic.
Any new releases soon?
Yes indeed. A recent release was
"ZONE OF MY OWN" and the Bonus Cuts
'On The Floor', 'Start It Over' and
'I Don't Want This To End' recently added to bandcamp.
There is also an
EP titled, 'Enterstellar' and a full length album titled 'Further'.
Th
e Entestellar EP just dropped today on bandcamp which you can hear below.
What is in the pipeline? What is next for Sneer Records?
Outside of the expanded version of
"Zone of My Own" (bonus cuts
'On The Floor', 'Start It Over' and
'I Don't Want This To End' can be found on
bandcamp now) and the Dadpnts collaboration, there's new projects coming from me,
Tigre Moorez, Kazz,
Teal Child, Ocir Knuf and
McGutter.
There is also an
EP titled, 'Enterstellar' which you can hear as of today
on bandcamp & full length album 'Further'.
Whats next is more music, visuals and physical merchandise.
Funkspirations
Top 5 Funk Records?
In no
particular order, as it changes from time to time, but I've probably
listened to these the most: Funkadelic "Lets Take it to the Stage",
Prince "1999" and "Sign Of The Times albums (I have to call a tie between these two, as both albums equally inspired my sound), Jesse Johnson's Revue, Steve Arrington's Hall of Fame "I"
and Rick James "Throwin' Down".
Other Funkspirations
My
funkspirations are, but not limited to, God, my family, Prince, Miles
Davis, P-Funk, Stevie Wonder, Betty Davis, Shuggie Otis, Jimi Hendrix, The Time, Jesse Johnson, Jam and Lewis,
Marvin Gaye, Rick James, Teena Marie, Roy Ayers, Omar, The System, Jamiroquai, New Edition, Bobby Brown, The Bar-Kays, Sly and The Family Stone, David
Bowie, Tricky, Egyptian Lover, One Way, Zapp and Roger Troutman, Cameo,
Sheila E., Andre Cymone, Slave, Steve Arrington, The Ohio Players,
James Brown, Mazarati, Herbie Hancock, Afrika Bambaata, Outkast, EPMD,
The Jacksons, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Public Enemy, Teddy Riley,
Quincy Jones, L.A. & Babyface, John Carpenter, Lenny Kravitz,
Me'Shell Ndegeocello, D'Angelo, Dam-Funk, Spacek, Sa-Ra Creative
Partners, Moon B. , Basquiat, art, sex, sci-fi movies/books and comic
books.
Quick fire
1. Go to Funk track? (or 2) Prince -
"Lets Work" and
Rick James "Dance Wit' Me"
2. The tune guaranteed to get you on the dance floor?
Funkadelic - ' (Not Just) Knee Deep'
3. Dancer or dance floor gazer?
Dancer
4. A or B side?
B side
5. Favourite record shop?
Criminal Records (It would be Tower Records if it was still open)
6. Favourite cartoon?
Battle of the Planets
Check the links below for more of Brett Eclectic's tracks and label,
Sneer Records.
soundcloud.com/brett-eclectic
bandcamp.com/bretteclectic
twitter.com/BrettEclectic
www.instagram.com/bretteclectic
Spotify/BrettEclectic
sneerrecords.com
sneerrecords.bandcamp.com/music
soundcloud.com/sneer-records
Funk has been a style of music I have always loved and in recent years found myself discovering loads of incredible artists producing a
new wave of funk including boogie, electro and modern funk.
