RS: That sounds good. I wanted to ask you about a few of the big records you've
worked on, like Danzel "Pump It Up."
Constantino Padovano: That record came from a conversation with the Italian
label Muse who wanted to use the track "In the Mix" for a compilation. I suggested that we
reintroduce "In The Mix" with a new song. We took the vocals like those from classic
crossover dance records like "Put Your Hands In the Air " and "Wiggle It" and put them over
the "in the Mix" sound. The melody was very US like that old house feeling and the
production was very European. I went over to Europe and we put the record together with a
team from Benelux – combining the vocals and music and the magic was created.
RS: That record was huge, its almost a modern chant or classic record.
Constantino Padovano: The only way you can survive in the record industry is
if you can deliver hits. Doing an underground track is a beautiful thing, but you can't sell
music to DJs, you have to sell music to the consumer. Marketing your production will help
deliver it to the consumer, but you need to have a song, something that people can relate on
it. We go back again to stage one, melody and hooks. People can never remember a kick and
a groove, but people are going to remember 'don't you know, pump it up', the little thing
that sticks in your head. So making records today is all about trying to come up with
concept, where you have a song, a hook and a melody - something that people can rely on.
Years ago you wanted to be a huge hit on the sales of a vinyl, today you can be a huge hit
on a ring tone.
RS: Speaking about melody, you also just finished a Diana Ross production.
Constantino Padovano: Well I got connected with Bill Coleman, who is an
excellent producer and manager from New York that I met a couple of months ago. He was
receiving my newsletters and asked if I would be interested in doing some remixes with them.
He put me in touch with Motown who was putting together a Diana Ross album. When I
listened to it, the production was too old fashioned. I got the masters and I suggested
going in a lounge direction which the label people liked. They realize that they can't
keep doing the same things they were doing thirty or forty years ago. The sounds have
changed because the people have changed.
RS: I noticed you also have a big record out overseas that Subliminal has picked
up called "House Music."
Constantino Padovano: Electro is being used in Europe, whatever is being
delivered over here in the States electro-wise is always very minimal. It reminds me a
little bit of all the stuff that was done back in the early 80s in Detroit and Chicago from
groups like Underground Resistance.
So I started getting into electro but always thinking what would be the right element to
make it become crossover. I got together with Fresh Funk who is my production partner on
many records and we started to work on house. We were trying to make a fusion of electro
but with a more main room type of production sound – not too dark- and that could get a
commercial room jumping. Mad Mark from HouseWorks did a mix where he recued and made the
sounds stand out more. He didn't add any strings to make it more like a Detroit record, he
made It sound more like a German record.
You will see that when you play the record on the dance floor, there is the moment when the
break comes in and the whole dance floor is putting their hands up in the air and screaming
like they know it.
RS: So what's coming next?
Constantino Padovano: Ultra Nate is coming back with an album of new stuff.
They asked me to do a remix and now they're asking me to produce a track for her album. I
imagine they will be shopping it at the conference. I'm also doing a coproduction with Jill
Jones who used to work with Prince. It looks like it's going to be a good year and we're
going to be kicking ass. You're going to being hearing a lot of me and I'm going to be all
over the place!!
