RS: How do you choose the cities for each Global Underground?
Andy Horsfield: Sometimes the cities choose themselves. I mean,
normally the DJs have an idea because they've been somewhere recently
and they've had an amazing party and it presents itself that way.
Sometimes it's places I've been. It's a bit of both, really.
RS: Over twelve years, back then CD sales were the primary way of
digesting dance music. How has Global Underground translated the CD
compilation to the digital space?
Andy Horsfield: We were one of the first electronic labels on iTunes,
so we built a very strong following for our digital sales. We're a
very digital forward label, always have been. We make sure that –
certainly for the past three years – that all our releases have been
available on iTunes. We market the stuff digitally as well -- we're
very digital forward in terms of banner ads and stuff, click to buy,
and things like that.
RS: What does it take for a DJ to get your attention for Global
Underground?
Andy Horsfield: Oh, it's a long process. I like to think that
Global's working with the best; we haven't always worked with the
biggest, although most of our roster are the biggest DJs in the world.
But we always keep our ears out for people. If you look at all the DJs
we've worked with, most of them are artists, whether it's Deep Dish,
whether it's James Lavelle from U.N.K.L.E., whether it's Sasha, Danny
Tenaglia -- they're all recording artists in their own right. Now I
would think that – it's the DJ that brings something to the table who
actually understand how a great record should be put together, and not
just something that mixes together with other peoples' bits of music.
Then obviously, like any record company, for us to invest in a DJ, it
has to be rewarding in sales, so they've got to have a very strong
worldwide following as well.
RS: Who do you see as the next big DJs?
Andy Horsfield: I don't know. At this minute there's nobody really
massively jumping out at me. I get asked this question a lot. There's
a lot of the German guys, like M.A.N.D.Y. and all those kinds of
people that are kind of bubbling around. But it depends how you define
'big DJs.' Are you talking about filling clubs or selling records,
because the two things aren't always the same, you know.
RS: Going back to MOS, what has been the American response to the
Ministry of Sound in the U.S.?
Andy Horsfield: Really strong, really strong. Since we've set up here
I've obviously gone around to see a lot of the people at the other
labels here. People are just really pleased to see us here because
they know Ministry's a very, very professional company. We're together
and people get paid, and we do all the right things. The industry has
gone through a lot of changes in the past few years so for an
international player –Ministry's the largest independent record label
in the world - so for them to be opening up in the U.S. and selling
records, the dance community here will think it's a pretty big deal.
By us being here we increase the visibility for the genre and I think
a lot of people will like to see that. I think they will appreciate
this. So yes, we've had a really, really good response.
DJ Ron Slomowicz: Bringing the two of you together, if Global Underground was
to do another U.S. city, what city would it be?
Andy Horsfield: That's a very difficult question. We've done Los
Angeles, we've done San Francisco, we've done New York, we've done
Miami. That's a difficult one – maybe Chicago, or Atlanta, I don't
know.
RS: What would you like to say to all the Global Underground fans
out there?
Andy Horsfield: Thank you for supporting what we do because, you
know, without them we wouldn't be able to do it. The people that buy
our CDs and come to our parties are extremely loyal. I hope we reward
their loyalty with great records that they cherish.
Posted June 10, 2008
