RS: Very cool. What are you working on right now production-wise?
Abel: Right now we're working on the Rosabel album. That's our
priority and hopefully will be released this year. We've got great
songs coming and one of them is actually just a teeny, weenie tease of
it is on the CD which is "Looking For Men" with Tamara Wallace. We
just wanted to give away a little snippet of what we're working on.
RS: She sang with Funky Green Dogs, right?
Abel: Exactly. She used to be with Funky Green Dogs, she actually is with us.
RS: Is the whole CD going to be with her or do you have
different vocalists on the album?
Abel: We're going to have a few different featured artists. As of
now, Debbie Jacobs who did "Don't You Want My Love," Jeanie Tracy and
Tamara Wallace. We're looking at other options as well with other
singers that we don't have contracts with yet.
RS: When you do a vocal record as a production, do you do make
the track first and have the singer write the vocals?
Abel: . When we're writing our stuff we will produce the track first
and then we write to it. It's just something we come up with and we
start playing around with some chords and stuff and then we'll sit and
write to it. Sometimes we'd even write a song in ten minutes, and
sometimes it'll take us months. But when we do remixes it's the
opposite, and we have to work with the vocals.
RS: What's been the hardest track you've ever remixed?
Abel: Oh God, oh I would have to say it was Jennifer Holiday.
Because of so many key changes and different places that she takes her
voice, it was very hard even for our musician/programmer, it was very
difficult. We spent a long time on that record because we had to get
all the keys proper and correct, because as well that was a ballad and
we had to make sure that we followed her very closely. So that was
one of the biggest challenges.
RS: Anything you want to say to all your fans out there?
Abel: I do this for the love of my fans. It's definitely rewarding
for me to go out there and play to anywhere in the world because the
response I get from that is what makes me keep going. I've been
doing this for many years already and each year just keeps getting
better. So there's really no signs of slowing down. The more energy
I get from my fans, the more it makes me work.
Interview posted - February 26, 2008