Interview // Ben Eshmade
NEN took some time out recently to talk to London-based producer/promoter/radio presenter/music lover Ben Eshmade.
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From his early musical obsessions – Orville and Snoopy, his work for Classic FM, alternative London radio station Resonance and his live promotions project Arctic Circle; Ben’s a man with musical interests in many areas.
We started by asking him how his day had been…
We’re just in the middle of a sound check for Daylight Music, our free Saturday afternoon event at the Union Chapel. A bit tired due to the early start, but I have a nice cup of tea. Nicolette Corcoran’s voice is sounding amazing at the moment, bouncing round the chapel…
I wanted to start taking you on a journey to your earliest musical memory(!) – where do you think your passion for noise came from?
Hmmm…well, I suppose my love of music started with a battery-powered record player that I used to carry around with me when I was younger. I had lots of novelty records from The Krankies, Keith Harris and Orville and Snoopy. I was obsessed with that record player and would take it everywhere! Those records could possibly explain why my tastes can be quite extreme. The roots of the music I love now could be traced back from 10 years ago when I bought records and tapes from Jean Michelle Jarre, Kraftwerk, Vangelis, Classic Rock (orchestras covering rock songs) and the Pet Shop Boys. I’ve never been cool!
You spent some time in radio, Classic FM among other stations, what was that experience like?
Well I would still consider myself mainly a radio producer. When I left university I knew that I wanted to work in radio. I love it and I think it the best medium for creating something that fires off your imagination. I’m now working as a freelancer on an array of different projects – from producing shows for CBeebies radio, a monthly podcast for the Barbican and even presenting and producing my own show on Resonance FM.
Can you tell us about Arctic Circle?
I always find that quite a hard question. I have come to realise that the Arctic Circle is constantly changing. At the moment we are a mixture of being a live promoter, a radio station (iTunes, Chill, Resonance FM) and even a record label (working so far with brilliant labels such as Loaf and Static Caravan). Arctic Circle is driven, inspired and changed by those artists and people involved with it.
We have been listening to The Explorers Club with much enthusiasm at NEN; what sparked this adventure and how has it been collating the music for the project?
The Explorer’s Club has been a project brought together over a very long period of time. It evolved out of the AC’s relationship with the brilliant Loaf records and took about 2 years before it finally came into being. I think it is testament to Loaf that they believed in it just as much as I did! I’m really proud of it though, some of the songs are really exceptional and it really helps to show what I’m trying to do musically with Arctic Circle.
What records/songs have you been listening to this week?
I’m just discovering Charles Mingus’ music which is proving to be really inspiring. I bought Rachael Dadd’s back catalogue when she played for me the other week and I’m really enjoying her quirky take on pop. I also bought Ben Folds’ University choir album last week which has the whole Glee thing going for it.
For all things Arctic Circle, see www.jointhecircle.net
Ben’s Resonance show is back on in September. For past shows (and a taster for The Explorer’s Club) visit http://l-o-a-f.com/explore
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